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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. scale — in music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tube — a container
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. scale — size or range
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — to wash
  15. rule — government
  16. lie — to recline
  17. suit — clothes
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mug — to rob
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rule — a law
  24. suit — in cards

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