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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 116 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 ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. shower — rain
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rule — government
  9. hand — help
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. shower — to wash
  15. wound — an injury
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rule — a law
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. hand — in cards
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. nail — for a hammer

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