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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · wave · lie · roll · rush · dip · mine · staff

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. staff — employees
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — a list
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mine — for digging
  15. staff — employees
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — hurry
  22. staff — a stick
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. dip — to sink

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com