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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rest — what's left
  7. row — to paddle
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. can — a tin
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. row — a line
  20. can — a tin
  21. kick — in football
  22. rest — a break
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. row — a quarrel

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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