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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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. fork — to eat with
  4. present — a gift
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. present — the time now
  7. spell — magic
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fork — in a road
  13. present — there
  14. spell — letters
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fall — to drop
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. fall — the season
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. spell — a short time

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