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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fall — the season
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. swing — to play on
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bulb — for light
  8. swing — in golf
  9. shower — rain
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a trace
  12. swing — music
  13. fall — to drop
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. can — a tin
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a grade
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — to recline
  23. can — a tin
  24. season — of the year

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