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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. can — to be able to
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. can — a tin
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. band — a ring
  12. hand — help
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. band — a music group
  15. lean — to bend
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lie — to recline
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. hand — in cards
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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