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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fall — the season
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. swing — music
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. scale — in music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. dip — to sink
  22. swing — to play on
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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