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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. shower — rain
  3. object — a thing
  4. fine — high quality
  5. object — to protest
  6. bore — to tire
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. face — to point toward
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rock — music
  15. shower — to wash
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fine — all right
  18. fall — the season
  19. track — a path
  20. rock — a stone
  21. object — an aim
  22. face — part of the head
  23. track — a song
  24. face — to confront

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