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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lean — thin
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. scale — in music
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rock — music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rock — a stone
  11. chair — a leader
  12. lean — to bend
  13. shower — to wash
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bank — for money
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. shower — rain
  22. bank — of a river
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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