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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 116 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. present — there
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. shower — to wash
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wake — a trail
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. present — the time now
  11. shower — rain
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fall — to drop
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitch — completely
  20. fall — the season
  21. present — a gift
  22. fine — high quality
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. fine — all right

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