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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. fine — all right
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. row — to paddle
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fall — the season
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mate — a friend
  20. row — a line
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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