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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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. cap — a hat
  5. spring — a coil
  6. fork — in a road
  7. cap — of ice
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cap — a lid
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. band — a music group
  17. spring — of water
  18. stock — goods
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. band — a ring
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. spring — the season

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