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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. root — of a word
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lean — thin
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. capital — money
  20. lean — to bend
  21. root — the cause
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. capital — a city

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