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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: date · pound · saw · bulb · object · hide · last · lie

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. object — a thing
  3. date — the fruit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. object — to protest
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. object — an aim
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. last — finally
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bulb — for light
  19. last — to go on
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. last — final
  22. lie — to recline
  23. date — on the calendar
  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