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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. fall — the season
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bulb — for light
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bulb — for light
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. fall — to drop
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — there
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lie — to recline
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fall — to drop
  20. branch — a division
  21. present — the time now
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. dip — to sink

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