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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. band — a ring
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. capital — a city
  9. capital — money
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bore — to drill
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a music group
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. capital — a big letter

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