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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. saw — the tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. object — to protest
  9. cell — a phone
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cell — in biology
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. cell — in a prison

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