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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chair — a leader
  5. content — happy
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. track — to keep track
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. track — a path
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. track — a song
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. content — the amount
  24. lie — an untruth

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