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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. lie — to recline
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. cold — an illness
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. prune — to trim
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cold — not warm
  16. can — a tin
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. kick — in football
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. kick — a thrill

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