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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · lie · pass · lean · arm · shower · coach · foot

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. lean — thin
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pass — a permit
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. foot — a measure
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. game — a match
  24. lean — to bend

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