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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — a trail
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. track — a path
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. shower — to wash
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. chair — a leader
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rock — music
  22. shower — rain
  23. track — a song
  24. temple — a place of worship

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