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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. charge — electricity
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. shower — to wash
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. charge — in control
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ground — a position
  22. charge — a price
  23. ground — crushed
  24. lie — an untruth

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