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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. shower — rain
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. wound — an injury
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — a city
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. firm — decided
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. net — after costs
  12. firm — steady
  13. capital — money
  14. rush — hurry
  15. firm — a company
  16. shower — to wash
  17. net — for catching
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. net — in sport
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. lie — to recline

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