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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rock — music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. bound — certain
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bound — obliged

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