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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lie — to recline
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fall — to drop
  5. mark — a grade
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. shower — to wash
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. shower — rain
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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