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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
468
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: deal · lie · key · charge · present · dip · bulb · straw

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. dip — to sink
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. charge — in control
  8. deal — to handle
  9. key — in music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. charge — a price
  14. lie — to recline
  15. present — there
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. key — the most important part
  20. key — for a lock
  21. charge — electricity
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bulb — for light
  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