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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. present — a gift
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rush — hurry
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. file — a document
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. file — a line of people
  16. pit — a hole
  17. snap — to click
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. file — a tool
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pit — in a race
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. present — the time now
  24. lie — an untruth

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