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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — decided
  6. rest — what's left
  7. firm — steady
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pop — soda
  11. rest — a break
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. lie — to recline
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chest — of your body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chest — of your body
  19. chest — a box
  20. firm — a company
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pop — music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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