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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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 — an untruth
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. shower — rain
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. staff — employees
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lie — to recline
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. shower — to wash
  15. sharp — clever
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. staff — a stick
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. staff — employees
  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