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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. pop — soda
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. rash — a series
  15. pop — music
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. ball — a great time
  21. clip — to cut
  22. rash — hasty
  23. ball — a dance
  24. pop — to visit

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