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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. lie — to recline
  8. staff — employees
  9. key — the most important part
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. staff — employees
  13. game — wild animals
  14. key — for a lock
  15. staff — a stick
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — in music
  20. game — a match
  21. capital — a city
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. capital — money
  24. prune — to trim

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