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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · lie · shower · march · foot · suit · bore · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. wake — a trail
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lie — to recline
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. march — the month
  16. foot — a measure
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rock — music
  19. march — the month
  20. bore — to drill
  21. shower — rain
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bore — to tire
  24. march — music

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