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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 116 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lie — to recline
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. game — wild animals
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pound — a weight
  10. perch — the fish
  11. dip — to sink
  12. race — humankind
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. saw — the tool
  16. game — a match
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. race — the arms race
  22. race — a contest
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. game — a kind of play

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