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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bulb — for light
  12. date — the fruit
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. drill — a practice
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pass — a permit
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — army training
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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