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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 116 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 dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. chip — for betting
  17. face — to confront
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hand — help
  24. face — to point toward

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