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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. key — in music
  5. wind — moving air
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wind — moving air
  11. key — for a lock
  12. scale — size or range
  13. track — a song
  14. saw — the tool
  15. track — a path
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. scale — in music
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wake — a trail
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. saw — the tool

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