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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — hurry
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. face — to point toward
  9. club — a group
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. face — to confront
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. face — part of the head
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. mate — a friend
  21. deal — to handle
  22. club — for golf
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bulb — of a plant

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