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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. race — the arms race
  4. fine — high quality
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. date — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fine — all right
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. current — happening now
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. race — a contest
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. race — humankind
  24. lie — to recline

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