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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mate — to breed
  4. lean — thin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. kid — to tease
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lie — to recline
  14. kid — child
  15. mate — a partner
  16. rule — government
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mate — a friend

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