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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. face — part of the head
  3. tear — to rip
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. face — to confront
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mine — for digging
  9. band — a ring
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. band — a music group
  16. board — a committee
  17. tear — from crying
  18. shower — rain
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. ground — a position
  22. shower — to wash
  23. ground — crushed
  24. board — to get on

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