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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rest — what's left
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. swing — music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. lie — to recline
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. rest — what's left
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. swing — in golf
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rest — a break
  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