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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lean — to bend
  7. land — to come down
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. land — a country
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. land — ground
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rest — a break
  24. hide — animal skin

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