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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 it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — all right
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. net — after costs
  5. pop — soda
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — music
  9. foot — a measure
  10. scale — size or range
  11. rock — a stone
  12. scale — in music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. net — in sport
  18. pop — to visit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pop — music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. net — for catching
  24. rock — to move gently

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