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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bank — for money
  8. sharp — clever
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bank — for money
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mate — to breed
  13. scale — in music
  14. mate — a friend
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mate — a partner
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — of a river
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cell — in biology
  24. scale — size or range

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