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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. ground — crushed
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mug — a face
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — a position
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — for money
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bass — low music
  16. foot — a measure
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bass — the fish
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bank — for money

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