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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. march — music
  6. row — to paddle
  7. key — the most important part
  8. lie — to recline
  9. row — a line
  10. band — a music group
  11. pound — a weight
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. chip — to eat
  14. band — a ring
  15. key — in music
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. march — the month
  20. chip — for betting
  21. date — the fruit
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. march — the month

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