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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. face — to confront
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pass — a permit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lie — to recline

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