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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. craft — boats
  6. object — to protest
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — for money
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. firm — decided
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — a skill
  15. object — a thing
  16. firm — steady
  17. swing — in golf
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bulb — for light
  21. object — an aim
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — a company
  24. lie — an untruth

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