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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. wound — an injury
  6. shower — rain
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. face — to point toward
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wound — an injury
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. can — a tin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. lie — to recline
  20. can — a tin
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. face — part of the head

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