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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cue · cap · lie · hide · rest · temple · game · lean

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. game — a match
  5. cap — a hat
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. rest — a break
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cue — for pool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lean — to bend
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — a hint
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lean — thin
  23. rest — what's left
  24. hide — to keep secret

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