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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. wind — moving air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. branch — a division
  24. bulb — of a plant

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