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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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. race — the arms race
  4. lie — to recline
  5. content — happy
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — electric
  8. bulb — for light
  9. date — the fruit
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. race — a contest
  12. saw — the tool
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. saw — the tool
  19. race — humankind
  20. current — of water
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. current — happening now
  24. content — the amount

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