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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. lie — to recline
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — high quality
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — humankind
  15. mine — for digging
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. race — a contest
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fine — all right
  24. mine — an explosive

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