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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mate — a partner
  4. wound — an injury
  5. face — to point toward
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mate — a friend
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. face — to confront
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. face — part of the head
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mug — a cup
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mug — a face
  24. shower — to wash

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