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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bulb — for light
  3. cold — not warm
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. lie — to recline
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bulb — for light
  24. pit — a hole

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