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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 116 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. net — after costs
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — final
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — to drill
  12. track — a path
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. net — in sport
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a song
  19. net — for catching
  20. game — a match
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. last — finally
  24. leaves — of a tree

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