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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  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. pop — soda
  2. shower — rain
  3. bound — obliged
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — a trace
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. shower — to wash
  12. wax — to grow
  13. pop — music
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bound — certain
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pop — to visit
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. pit — a hole
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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