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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. track — a path
  7. firm — steady
  8. track — a song
  9. season — in sport
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — to recline
  13. firm — decided
  14. can — a tin
  15. season — of the year
  16. can — to be able to
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — a company
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. track — to keep track
  22. shower — rain
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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