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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. lie — to recline
  4. fine — all right
  5. row — to paddle
  6. fine — high quality
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lean — thin
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bat — the animal
  12. object — a thing
  13. row — a line
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. ruler — for measuring

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