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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. scale — size or range
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. lie — to recline
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — to visit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fall — to drop
  22. pop — music
  23. scale — in music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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