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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cue — a signal
  6. fall — the season
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. shower — rain
  11. sharp — clever
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pitch — completely
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. cap — a lid
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fall — to drop
  21. shower — to wash
  22. cap — a hat
  23. fall — to drop
  24. lie — an untruth

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