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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — a break
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lie — to recline
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bulb — for light
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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