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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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. spring — of water
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. spell — a short time
  7. march — the month
  8. spring — the season
  9. tube — a container
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spell — magic
  13. march — the month
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. tube — the underground
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. spell — letters
  18. toast — bread
  19. lie — to recline
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. march — music
  24. toast — the most admired

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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