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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. firm — steady
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. shower — to wash
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chest — a box
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. shower — rain
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. chest — of your body
  15. tear — to rip
  16. chest — of your body
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. firm — decided
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. firm — a company
  21. tear — from crying
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. lie — an untruth

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