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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. kid — to tease
  4. object — a thing
  5. shower — to wash
  6. roll — a list
  7. rest — a break
  8. object — an aim
  9. kid — child
  10. shower — rain
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. roll — a cake
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rest — what's left
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. object — to protest
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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