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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — in music
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wax — to grow
  8. lie — to recline
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. branch — a division
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bore — to drill
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. shower — to wash
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bore — to tire
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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