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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. spring — of water
  5. rule — government
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rock — a stone
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rule — a law
  16. rock — music
  17. spring — a coil
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. spring — the season
  24. rock — to move gently

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