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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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. race — humankind
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hand — help
  9. key — for a lock
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. net — in sport
  13. hand — in cards
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. fine — all right
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. net — after costs
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. net — for catching
  23. key — in music
  24. fine — high quality

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