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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.

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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. object — an aim
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. object — a thing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fall — to drop
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. present — there
  13. bulb — for light
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. object — to protest
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — the time now
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. present — a gift

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