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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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468
Word bank
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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. tear — to rip
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. cold — an illness
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. root — of a word
  18. tear — from crying
  19. cold — not warm
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. suit — in cards
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — to recline
  24. temple — side of the head

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