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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: cold · deal · key · sharp · cap · fine · rule · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cap — a hat
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cold — not warm
  10. deal — to handle
  11. key — in music
  12. cold — an illness
  13. fine — all right
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fine — high quality
  17. key — for a lock
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. rule — a law
  20. cap — a lid
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. key — the most important part
  24. sharp — clever

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