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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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. degree — temperature
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. roll — a list
  6. degree — an amount
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — a law
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. hand — in cards
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rule — government
  22. degree — from a university
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. roll — a cake

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