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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 120 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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. cap — a hat
  5. lie — to recline
  6. land — to come down
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. season — of the year
  10. cap — a lid
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — in sport
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. clip — a video
  16. bear — the animal
  17. land — a country
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bear — the animal
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. clip — for paper
  22. land — ground
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. clip — to cut

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