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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 116 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. tear — from crying
  5. present — there
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. scale — in music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. swing — music
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. tear — from crying
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — in golf
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tear — to rip
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kick — in football
  20. lie — to recline
  21. present — a gift
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — a law
  24. present — the time now

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