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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bulb — for light
  6. craft — a skill
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. stand — to bear
  23. craft — boats
  24. pound — for dogs

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