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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. object — a thing
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. deal — to handle
  6. march — the month
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rest — what's left
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. march — the month
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. object — to protest
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. march — music
  22. date — the fruit
  23. rest — a break
  24. object — an aim

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