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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. court — of a king
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. court — of law
  8. lean — to bend
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. scale — in music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mug — a cup
  16. mug — a face
  17. court — for sport
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lean — thin
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. fan — a supporter

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