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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. dip — to sink
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. fine — high quality
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. spring — the season
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pass — a permit
  17. lie — to recline
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fine — all right
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — of water
  24. fine — a penalty

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