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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. shower — rain
  4. drill — the tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. shower — to wash
  7. stand — to bear
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. drill — army training
  14. foot — a measure
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. lie — to recline
  18. drill — a practice

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