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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lean — thin
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. scale — size or range
  6. land — to come down
  7. scale — in music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. land — a country
  11. rush — hurry
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — the underground
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. land — ground
  20. tube — a container
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lean — to bend

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