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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pound — a weight
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — to shout
  8. shower — to wash
  9. fine — all right
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. shower — rain
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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