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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wound — an injury
  3. game — a match
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rest — a break
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fork — in a road
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bulb — of a plant

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