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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. drill — a practice
  3. object — an aim
  4. spring — the season
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mine — for digging
  7. rock — music
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. object — a thing
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spring — of water
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. drill — army training
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. spring — a coil
  22. object — to protest
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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