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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 120 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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. rash — hasty
  8. prune — to trim
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fork — in a road
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. rash — a series
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. prune — to trim
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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