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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. row — a line
  5. bulb — for light
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cap — of ice
  9. object — an aim
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. fine — all right
  13. cap — a lid
  14. kid — to tease
  15. cap — a hat
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. kid — child
  19. lie — to recline
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. row — to paddle
  22. object — a thing
  23. fine — high quality
  24. object — to protest

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