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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. ball — a dance
  7. land — ground
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. land — a country
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. land — to come down
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lie — to recline
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. ball — a great time
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bulb — for light
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. lie — an untruth

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