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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lie — to recline
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. roll — a list
  16. firm — a company
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. roll — a cake
  21. toast — bread
  22. firm — steady
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. temple — side of the head

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