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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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. bat — for baseball
  4. bound — obliged
  5. roll — a list
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — certain
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. roll — a cake
  11. stem — to come from
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. charge — a price
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. charge — in control
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — the animal
  24. trunk — of a car

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