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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. lie — to recline
  3. fine — all right
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to sink
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — rain
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. shower — to wash
  19. fine — high quality
  20. drill — the tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. drill — army training
  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