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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. lie — to recline
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. rock — music
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rock — a stone
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bulb — for light
  24. prune — to trim

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