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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: mouse · lie · bear · pitcher · hand · cabinet · stand · shower

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. hand — help
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. shower — rain
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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