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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 116 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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — letters
  7. cap — of ice
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. suit — to fit
  11. lie — to recline
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cap — a lid
  14. spell — magic
  15. kid — child
  16. spell — a short time
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. cap — a hat
  20. lean — to bend
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lean — thin
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. face — to point toward

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