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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. swing — music
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. ball — a dance
  14. track — a song
  15. object — a thing
  16. dip — to sink
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. object — to protest
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. swing — in golf
  23. track — a path
  24. track — to keep track

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