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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spring — the season
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. bank — for money
  7. wax — to grow
  8. rule — government
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. spring — of water
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bank — for money
  16. lie — to recline
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rule — a law
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. march — music
  23. bank — of a river
  24. perch — for a bird

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