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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. capital — a city
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cap — of ice
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. cap — a lid
  12. squash — the sport
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — a container
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. capital — money
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a face
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. tube — the underground

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