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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. can — a tin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rash — hasty
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. lie — to recline
  10. last — final
  11. cold — an illness
  12. rest — a break
  13. last — to go on
  14. rest — what's left
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cold — not warm
  18. rest — what's left
  19. can — a tin
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. last — finally
  22. rash — a series
  23. can — to be able to
  24. leaves — lets stay

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