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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. shower — rain
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ground — a position
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mine — for digging
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ground — crushed
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ground — the earth

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