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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — for money
  3. last — finally
  4. last — to go on
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bank — for money
  16. last — final
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. mark — a trace
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bank — of a river
  21. dip — to sink
  22. shower — rain
  23. foot — a measure
  24. lie — to recline

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