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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. lie — to recline
  7. root — the cause
  8. spell — letters
  9. chip — to eat
  10. root — of a plant
  11. hand — help
  12. spell — magic
  13. root — of a word
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bat — the animal
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. hand — in cards
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. foot — a measure

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