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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. present — a gift
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — a friend
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rock — a stone
  9. game — a match
  10. rock — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. present — there
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — to recline
  19. present — the time now
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. game — wild animals
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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