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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. firm — a company
  5. pop — to visit
  6. shower — rain
  7. degree — an amount
  8. degree — temperature
  9. object — a thing
  10. pop — music
  11. object — an aim
  12. degree — from a university
  13. firm — steady
  14. pop — soda
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. shower — to wash
  19. object — to protest
  20. firm — decided
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — all right
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. fine — high quality

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