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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: tear · shower · season · suit · bay · lie · row · nail

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. row — to paddle
  4. shower — rain
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — to recline
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. tear — from crying
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. season — of the year
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. season — in sport
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. nail — on a finger

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