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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. capital — a city
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rule — government
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. tube — a container
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. rule — a law
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. capital — money
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. tear — to rip
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — a horse colour

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