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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pit — a hole
  4. drill — a practice
  5. squash — to crush
  6. face — to confront
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. face — part of the head
  9. lean — to bend
  10. shower — rain
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. squash — the sport
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — in a race
  16. lean — thin
  17. drill — army training
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. shower — to wash
  20. drill — the tool
  21. can — a tin
  22. dip — to sink
  23. face — to point toward
  24. dip — to dunk

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