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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. bark — to shout
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. lie — to recline
  16. chip — to eat
  17. charge — electricity
  18. chip — for betting
  19. charge — a price
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. wax — to grow
  23. charge — in control
  24. bark — of a tree

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