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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. chest — a box
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chest — of your body
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. prune — to trim
  10. kid — child
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bulb — for light
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — a permit
  18. kid — to tease
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chest — of your body
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. ruler — a monarch

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