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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. shower — to wash
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. shower — rain
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mark — a grade
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lie — to recline
  18. snap — to click
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. pitch — completely
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lie — an untruth

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