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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: bulb · pass · lie · fall · ground · roll · fine · hide

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bulb — for light
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. ground — the earth
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pass — a permit
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ground — a position
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. roll — a list
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. fall — the season
  18. roll — a cake
  19. fine — high quality
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fine — all right
  24. hide — animal skin

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