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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pit — in a race
  5. degree — from a university
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. lie — to recline
  11. can — a tin
  12. pit — a hole
  13. rest — a break
  14. degree — an amount
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rest — what's left
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pop — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pop — soda
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mark — a grade

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