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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. game — a match
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. row — a line
  13. press — newspapers
  14. game — wild animals
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pound — a weight
  22. press — to push
  23. kick — in football
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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