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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. tear — to rip
  4. kick — in football
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. row — to paddle
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. rash — a series
  10. tear — from crying
  11. last — final
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tear — from crying
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rash — hasty
  17. last — finally
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. last — to go on
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lie — to recline
  22. row — a line
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bowl — a dish

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