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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — rain
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mate — to breed
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — to rip
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. shower — to wash
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mate — a partner
  22. staff — employees
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. lie — to recline

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