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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. clip — for paper
  5. can — to be able to
  6. clip — a video
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a tool
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lean — thin
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — to point toward
  18. clip — to cut
  19. lean — to bend
  20. file — a line of people
  21. face — to confront
  22. can — a tin
  23. bulb — for light
  24. face — part of the head

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