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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fall — to drop
  5. present — there
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fall — the season
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. lie — to recline
  10. present — the time now
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — a gift
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — music
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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