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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · season · bulb · dip · firm · ground · last · pass

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. firm — a company
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ground — a position
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. season — in sport
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. last — final
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. last — finally
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. season — of the year
  18. bulb — for light
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. last — to go on
  24. dip — to dunk

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