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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. board — to get on
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. wind — moving air
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. shower — to wash
  21. stem — to come from
  22. board — a committee
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. lie — to recline

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