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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. mark — a grade
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bulb — for light
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. date — the fruit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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