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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — the tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. capital — a city
  7. tube — the underground
  8. capital — money
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — to recline
  11. tube — a container
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — a group
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — for dancing
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. perch — the fish
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — a practice
  23. club — for golf
  24. leaves — lets stay

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