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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. key — in music
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. land — to come down
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. land — a country
  10. key — for a lock
  11. land — ground
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. fall — to drop
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bowl — to roll

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