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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. march — music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tear — from crying
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. can — a tin
  8. march — the month
  9. fine — all right
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. fine — high quality
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — to recline
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. roll — a cake
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. tear — to rip
  20. rule — a law
  21. rule — government
  22. tear — from crying
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. roll — a list

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