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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. shower — rain
  3. track — a song
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — to recline
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — to wash

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