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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 sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. saw — the tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. track — to keep track
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stand — to bear
  17. track — a path
  18. track — a song
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. saw — the tool
  24. bulb — for light

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