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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bulb — for light
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. capital — a city
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. capital — money
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pass — a permit
  17. land — a country
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. cap — a hat
  20. land — ground
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. hand — help
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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