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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chest — of your body
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. chest — of your body
  8. prune — to trim
  9. chest — a box
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kick — in football
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bulb — for light
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pass — a permit
  24. prune — to trim

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