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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — obliged
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. rest — a break
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mark — a grade
  18. shower — rain
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — to recline
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ruler — a monarch

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