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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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 — an untruth
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. lie — to recline
  6. scale — size or range
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rash — a series
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rash — hasty
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. scale — in music
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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