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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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. pit — a hole
  4. present — there
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lie — to recline
  9. fine — all right
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ground — a position
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. ground — crushed
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. tube — a container
  19. court — of law
  20. tube — the underground
  21. ground — the earth
  22. present — a gift
  23. fine — high quality
  24. tube — in a tire

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