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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cap — a lid
  3. content — happy
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. tube — the underground
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. drill — army training
  10. lie — to recline
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. spell — magic
  15. content — the amount
  16. drill — the tool
  17. tube — a container
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cap — a hat
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. cap — of ice
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. spell — letters

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