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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pass — a permit
  6. toast — bread
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. kick — in football
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lean — thin
  12. bass — the fish
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. bass — low music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lean — to bend
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lie — to recline
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. tube — a container

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