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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. game — a match
  3. file — a document
  4. pit — in a race
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. file — a tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. pit — a hole
  11. press — newspapers
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bear — the animal
  14. branch — a division
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. file — a line of people
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. press — to push
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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