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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 120 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. land — ground
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wax — to grow
  9. present — the time now
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lie — to recline
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. foot — a measure
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. present — there
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cell — a phone
  22. present — a gift
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. land — a country

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