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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. shower — to wash
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. object — to protest
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. shower — rain
  18. kick — in football
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. object — an aim
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. object — a thing
  24. hide — animal skin

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