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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fall — the season
  5. swing — in golf
  6. lie — to recline
  7. drill — the tool
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. drill — a practice
  17. date — the fruit
  18. swing — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. drill — army training
  21. rest — a break
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. date — on the calendar

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