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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — a position
  5. rule — government
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ground — the earth
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. march — the month
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rule — a law
  16. chip — for betting
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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