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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. tear — from crying
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. tear — to rip
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. content — the amount
  12. tear — from crying
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pass — a permit
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. content — happy
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mark — a trace
  24. shower — to wash

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