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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. degree — from a university
  8. shower — to wash
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. march — the month
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. lie — to recline
  14. degree — an amount
  15. mark — a trace
  16. march — music
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. degree — temperature
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. march — the month

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