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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fine — all right
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — steady
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. perch — the fish
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lie — to recline
  21. firm — decided
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. fine — high quality
  24. pitcher — a jug

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