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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rash — a series
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rash — hasty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fall — the season
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. scale — in music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. capital — a city
  21. scale — size or range
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. capital — money

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