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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rule — a law
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. toast — bread
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. dip — to sink
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. can — a tin
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rule — government
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. dip — a sauce

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