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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. dip — to sink
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. shower — to wash
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — rain
  24. wind — moving air

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