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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 116 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. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. degree — temperature
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. fine — all right
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. degree — an amount
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ground — a position
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. degree — from a university
  17. fine — high quality
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rash — hasty
  20. mug — a face
  21. ground — the earth
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ground — crushed

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