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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. saw — the tool
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. staff — employees
  6. tube — a container
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. tube — the underground
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. date — the fruit
  13. squash — to crush
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. toast — bread
  17. staff — employees
  18. saw — the tool
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — the sport

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