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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 124 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — to protest
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. last — to go on
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. shower — rain
  11. ball — a great time
  12. last — finally
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cue — a signal
  15. object — a thing
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. shower — to wash
  24. last — final

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