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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. cold — an illness
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. cold — not warm
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. mate — a partner
  16. charge — in control
  17. net — in sport
  18. mate — to breed
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mate — a friend
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. charge — a price
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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