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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. sharp — clever
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. shower — rain
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. shower — to wash
  11. band — a music group
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pitch — completely
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lie — to recline
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. spell — letters
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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