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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 120 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. lie — to recline
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. net — for catching
  6. bulb — for light
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. stand — to bear
  14. shower — to wash
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fine — all right
  17. net — after costs
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. net — in sport
  20. fine — high quality
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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