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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: object · fall · dip · rush · spring · nail · bass · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lie — to recline
  11. object — an aim
  12. spring — of water
  13. dip — to sink
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — the season
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. spring — a coil
  24. bass — the fish

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