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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. deal — to handle
  5. suit — to fit
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. last — to go on
  11. land — to come down
  12. last — final
  13. land — a country
  14. land — ground
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lie — to recline
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. saw — the tool
  22. last — finally
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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