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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. scale — size or range
  3. saw — the tool
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bore — to tire
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. scale — in music
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bore — to drill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. tear — to rip

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