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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 120 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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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: dip · leaves · lie · bulb · fall · kid · patient · deal

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. fall — to drop
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. deal — to handle
  7. fall — the season
  8. bulb — for light
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lie — to recline
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. kid — child
  14. fall — to drop
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. kid — to tease
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bulb — for light
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. dip — a sauce

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