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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lie — to recline
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. cap — a lid
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. mate — a partner
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. kid — child
  12. roll — a cake
  13. cap — a hat
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. roll — a list
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — to breed
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. kid — to tease
  23. cap — of ice
  24. deal — a big deal

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