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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. scale — in music
  4. cap — a lid
  5. court — of a king
  6. cap — of ice
  7. court — of law
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lie — to recline
  14. cap — a hat
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mug — a face
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. mug — a cup
  22. court — for sport
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fine — a penalty

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