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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. spring — a coil
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. spring — of water
  8. wind — moving air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. date — the fruit
  11. mate — a partner
  12. lean — to bend
  13. mate — to breed
  14. lean — thin
  15. tear — from crying
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. suit — clothes
  18. spring — the season
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mate — a friend
  21. tear — to rip
  22. wind — moving air
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. tear — from crying

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