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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mate — to breed
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. season — of the year
  9. lie — to recline
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. hand — help
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. season — in sport
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — to eat

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