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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 120 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bound — obliged
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mug — a face
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. cap — of ice
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bound — certain
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mug — to rob
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bound — tied together

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