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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. last — finally
  3. current — of water
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. current — happening now
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. last — to go on
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. game — a match
  15. lie — to recline
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. current — electric
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. last — final
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bulb — for light

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