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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cap — a hat
  3. fork — in a road
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cap — a lid
  8. drill — a practice
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. drill — army training
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. drill — the tool
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. lie — to recline
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. chip — for betting

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