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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. clip — to cut
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. wound — an injury
  14. shower — rain
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. shower — to wash
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. clip — a video
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wake — a trail
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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