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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. scale — size or range
  6. content — happy
  7. present — there
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. present — a gift
  11. rest — what's left
  12. present — the time now
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. band — a ring
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. content — the amount
  18. lie — to recline
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. scale — in music
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. calf — a young animal

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