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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. hand — in cards
  6. field — for sport
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. tube — a container
  9. capital — money
  10. hand — help
  11. tube — the underground
  12. field — a subject
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. rock — music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lie — to recline
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. capital — a city
  23. rock — a stone
  24. field — farmland

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