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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. race — the arms race
  6. shower — to wash
  7. race — humankind
  8. net — after costs
  9. shower — rain
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. net — for catching
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. lie — to recline
  15. pound — a weight
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rush — hurry
  19. race — a contest
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. net — in sport
  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