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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. march — music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — a container
  8. march — the month
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. march — the month
  11. shower — to wash
  12. lie — to recline
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stock — shares
  17. snap — to click
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. shower — rain
  21. stock — goods
  22. tube — the underground
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. calf — of the leg

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