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

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. shower — to wash
  3. hand — in cards
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bound — certain
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cue — a signal
  10. snap — to click
  11. shower — rain
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bound — tied together
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bear — the animal
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. bowl — to roll

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