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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 120 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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. firm — steady
  3. shower — to wash
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. shower — rain
  8. firm — decided
  9. hand — help
  10. firm — a company
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. vault — a safe
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bark — to shout
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. hand — in cards

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