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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wound — an injury
  8. clip — to cut
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lie — to recline
  12. clip — for paper
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. face — to confront
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. clip — a video
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pit — in a race
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. deal — to handle
  24. lie — an untruth

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