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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mark — a trace
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. kid — to tease
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. chair — a leader
  11. toast — bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. mark — a grade
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. kid — child
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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