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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. spell — letters
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. spell — a short time
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — to recline
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. spell — magic
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. shower — rain
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. shower — to wash
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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