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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rest — what's left
  3. chest — a box
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. staff — employees
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — in sport
  12. staff — a stick
  13. season — of the year
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. staff — employees
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wound — an injury

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