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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 120 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. season — of the year
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. lean — to bend
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. hand — help
  9. squash — the sport
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pit — a hole
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lean — thin
  17. hand — in cards
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. season — in sport
  20. pit — in a race
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. lie — to recline

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