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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.

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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: lie · hand · jam · spell · bay · fan · wake · rest

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. rest — what's left
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. hand — in cards
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wake — a trail
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rest — a break
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. spell — letters
  17. hand — help
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — a short time
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. spell — magic
  24. rest — what's left

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