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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rule — a law
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. cold — not warm
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. scale — in music

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