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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fan · lie · hide · bulb · firm · spell · patient · straw

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. firm — a company
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bulb — for light
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. spell — letters
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. hide — to keep secret

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