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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. ball — a dance
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bank — of a river
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — a song
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. deal — to handle
  16. track — a path
  17. wound — an injury
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. ball — a great time
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. shower — to wash

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