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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rash — a series
  5. lie — to recline
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mug — a face
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. rash — hasty
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. shower — to wash
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kick — in football
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. wind — moving air
  21. cue — a hint
  22. shower — rain
  23. mug — to rob
  24. lie — an untruth

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