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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rash — hasty
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pit — in a race
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rash — a series
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mug — a face
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wake — a trail
  16. mug — to rob
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pit — a hole
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. season — of the year
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. season — in sport
  24. wake — before a funeral

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