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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. lie — to recline
  3. charge — electricity
  4. firm — steady
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. row — to paddle
  7. firm — decided
  8. bound — obliged
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. shower — rain
  11. charge — a price
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — a line
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. charge — in control
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bound — tied together
  18. firm — a company
  19. bound — certain
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rash — a series
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. shower — to wash
  24. rash — hasty

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