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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rock — a stone
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. firm — decided
  8. scale — size or range
  9. firm — steady
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. lie — to recline
  19. rest — a break
  20. rock — music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rule — government
  23. firm — a company
  24. trunk — of a tree

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