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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. lean — to bend
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. cap — of ice
  8. lean — thin
  9. content — happy
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. lie — to recline
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. face — to point toward
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. foot — a measure
  19. content — the amount
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cap — a lid
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cap — a hat

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