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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bank — for money
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bank — for money
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. roll — a list
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. roll — a cake
  11. shower — to wash
  12. field — for sport
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bank — of a river
  15. squash — to crush
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. field — a subject
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. squash — the sport
  22. shower — rain
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. field — farmland

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