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

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. game — wild animals
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cue — for pool
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. game — a match
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cue — a hint
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. season — in sport
  15. pound — a weight
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. shower — to wash

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