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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. season — of the year
  4. net — for catching
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. lie — to recline
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. season — in sport
  15. current — of water
  16. net — in sport
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. net — after costs
  20. shower — to wash
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. shower — rain
  24. season — to add flavour

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