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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. root — of a word
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a tool
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. root — the cause
  8. file — a line of people
  9. fall — the season
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mug — to rob
  17. shower — to wash
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mug — a face
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. season — of the year
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lie — to recline
  24. season — in sport

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