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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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 — an untruth
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. bulb — for light
  5. staff — a stick
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stand — to bear
  8. saw — the tool
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. staff — employees
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lie — to recline
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. staff — employees
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. roll — a list
  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