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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. clip — a video
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bound — certain
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. lie — to recline
  8. shower — rain
  9. pit — a hole
  10. firm — a company
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bound — obliged
  14. clip — to cut
  15. deal — to handle
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — decided
  18. clip — for paper
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. firm — steady
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bound — tied together

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