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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cap — of ice
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. suit — clothes
  8. season — of the year
  9. mug — a cup
  10. cap — a hat
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. lie — to recline
  13. cap — a lid
  14. prune — to trim
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mine — for digging
  17. current — electric
  18. prune — to trim
  19. season — in sport
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. mug — a face

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