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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. date — the fruit
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. march — the month
  17. roll — a list
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. roll — a cake
  21. fall — to drop
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ruler — a monarch

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