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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 116 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: shower · suit · rest · lie · ground · sharp · key · coach

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — the earth
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. suit — in cards
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. rest — a break
  13. suit — to fit
  14. sharp — clever
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. ground — a position
  17. key — for a lock
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lie — to recline
  24. shower — rain

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