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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 120 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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. season — in sport
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. shower — rain
  8. key — in music
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — for a lock
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rush — hurry
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. perch — the fish
  17. season — of the year
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pound — a weight
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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