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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. object — a thing
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. object — an aim
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. object — to protest
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. shower — to wash
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. shower — rain

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