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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rash — a series
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lie — to recline
  8. hand — help
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. wind — moving air
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rock — music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. suit — clothes
  19. hand — in cards
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — to wash

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