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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. staff — a stick
  3. swing — to play on
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. press — to push
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. last — final
  12. staff — employees
  13. last — finally
  14. last — to go on
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. press — a publisher
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bulb — for light
  23. staff — employees
  24. kick — in football

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