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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 124 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. roll — a cake
  4. content — the amount
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. court — of law
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mark — a grade
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. content — happy
  19. roll — a list
  20. court — of a king
  21. saw — the tool
  22. court — for sport
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. roll — on a roll

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