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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. chip — to eat
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wound — an injury
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rush — hurry
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bark — to shout

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