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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. lie — to recline
  9. race — the arms race
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. mug — to rob
  12. race — a contest
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stock — shares
  16. stand — to bear
  17. stock — goods
  18. race — humankind
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mug — a face
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. shower — to wash
  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