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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. race — the arms race
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. season — in sport
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. capital — a city
  8. firm — a company
  9. fine — high quality
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. firm — decided
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. firm — steady
  15. race — a contest
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. snap — to click
  18. race — humankind
  19. capital — money
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fine — all right
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. season — of the year

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