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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. object — a thing
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. deal — to handle
  6. rest — a break
  7. cap — a hat
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — in football
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rest — what's left
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. fall — the season
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bulb — for light
  21. object — to protest
  22. rest — what's left
  23. object — an aim
  24. cap — of ice

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