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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — for light
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bark — to shout
  7. kid — child
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. kid — to tease
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. lie — to recline
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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