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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. shower — to wash
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bass — the fish
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. shower — rain
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — to tire
  24. dip — a sauce

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