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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: saw · can · nail · board · bear · lean · shower · lie

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. can — a tin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. board — a committee
  13. shower — to wash
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lean — thin
  16. saw — the tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. lean — to bend
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. can — a tin
  24. board — to get on

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