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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tear — to rip
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rash — a series
  7. mug — to rob
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. pit — a hole
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mug — a cup
  14. track — a song
  15. tear — from crying
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stock — shares
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lie — to recline
  21. track — a path
  22. stock — goods
  23. mug — a face
  24. pit — in a race

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