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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. tear — from crying
  3. ball — a dance
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. dip — to sink
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fine — all right
  11. land — ground
  12. land — a country
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. lean — to bend
  17. land — to come down
  18. lean — thin
  19. ball — a great time
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. tear — from crying
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bass — low music

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