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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mug — a face
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. field — a subject
  5. last — finally
  6. field — farmland
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lie — to recline
  10. field — for sport
  11. last — final
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mug — a cup
  15. shower — to wash
  16. board — to get on
  17. last — to go on
  18. bear — the animal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. board — a committee
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — rain

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