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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. season — of the year
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. season — in sport
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. foot — a measure
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rule — a law
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lie — to recline
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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