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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: ground · cap · dip · jam · saw · lie · fall · pass

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. lie — to recline
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pass — a permit
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fall — the season
  10. fall — to drop
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ground — crushed
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fall — to drop
  17. cap — of ice
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. cap — a hat
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — a position
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. jam — in traffic

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