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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cap — a lid
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mug — a cup
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. ground — a position
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — to recline
  17. ground — crushed
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. ground — the earth
  20. mug — a face
  21. cap — a hat
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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