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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cap — of ice
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — an amount
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. cap — a lid
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cap — a hat
  12. scale — in music
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. capital — a city
  17. capital — money
  18. lie — to recline
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. degree — temperature
  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