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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: key · roll · fan · lie · season · shower · pound · ball

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. ball — a dance
  4. key — in music
  5. shower — rain
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. key — for a lock
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. season — of the year
  11. roll — a cake
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. key — the most important part
  21. shower — to wash
  22. roll — a list
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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