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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. toast — bread
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wind — moving air
  15. mate — a friend
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wind — moving air
  18. pitch — completely
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mate — to breed
  21. lie — to recline
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mate — a partner

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