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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. snap — to click
  8. can — a tin
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. court — for sport
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. land — ground
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. rash — hasty
  17. land — to come down
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rash — a series
  20. land — a country
  21. can — a tin
  22. court — of law
  23. can — to be able to
  24. court — of a king

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