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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — a permit
  11. shower — rain
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. race — the arms race
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. shower — to wash
  19. race — humankind
  20. swing — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. race — a contest
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. swing — in golf

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