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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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. tube — a container
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rule — government
  7. last — finally
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wound — an injury
  11. last — to go on
  12. pit — a hole
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. tube — the underground
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. last — final
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rule — a law
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. nail — for a hammer

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