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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mine — for digging
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. kick — in football
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. cap — a hat
  20. cap — of ice
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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