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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — rain
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rule — a law
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lean — to bend
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. shower — to wash
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. court — of law
  20. pass — a permit
  21. lean — thin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rule — government

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