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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. march — the month
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. march — music
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mark — a grade
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. shower — rain
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wind — moving air
  20. mark — a trace
  21. shower — to wash
  22. march — the month
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. temple — a place of worship

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