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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. dip — to sink
  6. spring — of water
  7. ball — a great time
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. spring — the season
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bulb — for light
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lean — thin
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ball — a dance
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lean — to bend
  24. dip — a sauce

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