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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — a list
  4. fine — all right
  5. race — a contest
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. race — humankind
  8. cue — a signal
  9. content — happy
  10. lie — to recline
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cue — a hint
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. content — the amount
  24. bay — a horse colour

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