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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. rest — a break
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. dip — to sink
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. staff — employees
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bulb — for light
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bulb — for light
  24. arm — part of the body

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