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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. season — in sport
  4. lie — to recline
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. current — happening now
  7. perch — the fish
  8. prune — to trim
  9. current — electric
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fall — the season
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. prune — to trim
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fall — to drop
  17. season — of the year
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. current — of water
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fall — to drop
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — an untruth

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