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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. staff — employees
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. staff — a stick
  6. last — to go on
  7. bulb — for light
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. field — for sport
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — for light
  13. saw — the tool
  14. last — final
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. last — finally
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. field — a subject
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lie — to recline
  23. field — farmland
  24. staff — employees

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