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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. club — for golf
  3. bulb — for light
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lie — to recline
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. season — in sport
  20. club — for dancing
  21. cap — a lid
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. club — a group
  24. cap — of ice

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