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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. branch — a division
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. lean — to bend
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wound — an injury
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lean — thin
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rush — hurry

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