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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. lie — to recline
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wax — to grow
  11. fine — high quality
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. row — a line
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fine — all right
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. fork — in a road
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. temple — a place of worship

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