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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: mouse · hand · saw · kid · lie · dip · bulb · object

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. hand — in cards
  3. object — to protest
  4. bulb — for light
  5. saw — the tool
  6. kid — child
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — a thing
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. kid — to tease
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  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