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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. toast — bread
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. key — the most important part
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. key — in music
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. season — of the year
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. season — in sport
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. season — to add flavour

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