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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wind — moving air
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. suit — clothes
  9. hand — help
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. club — for golf
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. shower — to wash
  16. club — a group
  17. suit — to fit
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hand — in cards
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. shower — rain
  22. club — for dancing
  23. lie — to recline
  24. hand — part of the body

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