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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. hand — help
  6. kid — child
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. content — the amount
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lean — to bend
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lean — thin
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. fine — all right
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. hand — in cards
  22. kid — to tease
  23. lie — to recline
  24. content — happy

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