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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cell — a phone
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lie — to recline
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. roll — a cake
  9. tear — to rip
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tear — from crying
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. roll — a list

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