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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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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. staff — employees
  7. toast — bread
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. pit — a hole
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pit — in a race
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. chair — a leader
  15. lie — to recline
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fine — all right

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