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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 116 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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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 · leaves · swing · wound · stick · wave · firm · deal

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — to handle
  7. firm — a company
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. wound — an injury
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. swing — in golf
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. swing — music
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. firm — decided
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. firm — steady
  23. swing — to play on
  24. lie — to recline

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