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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. race — a contest
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bound — obliged
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. race — the arms race
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bound — certain
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — humankind
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lie — to recline
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. date — the fruit
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. shower — rain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. temple — side of the head

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