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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bass — low music
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. spring — the season
  8. rush — hurry
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bulb — for light
  14. tear — from crying
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lie — to recline
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bass — the fish

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