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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. shower — rain
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. perch — the fish
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. lie — to recline
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. charge — a price
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. capital — money
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. capital — a city
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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