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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rule — government
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lie — to recline
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. rule — a law
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. fork — in a road
  20. roll — a cake
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. roll — a list

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