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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bank — for money
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bulb — for light
  11. rest — a break
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. bank — for money
  16. pass — a permit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — the amount
  20. bank — of a river
  21. content — happy
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. content — videos and posts

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