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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 120 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 that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — boats
  9. fine — all right
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. wind — moving air
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wind — moving air
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. capital — a city
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. craft — a skill
  22. lie — to recline
  23. capital — money
  24. lie — an untruth

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