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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. cap — of ice
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. swing — music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. date — the fruit
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. root — of a word
  22. root — the cause
  23. charge — a price
  24. root — of a plant

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