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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 116 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. key — the most important part
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. key — for a lock
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. lie — to recline
  12. land — a country
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bulb — for light
  16. land — ground
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bulb — for light
  21. land — to come down
  22. key — in music
  23. stand — to bear
  24. game — a match

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