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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 116 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. present — the time now
  3. mug — a cup
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cell — a phone
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bat — the animal
  10. lie — to recline
  11. object — a thing
  12. cue — a signal
  13. present — a gift
  14. object — to protest
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. object — an aim
  21. pitch — completely
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. present — there

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