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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pop — soda
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rash — a series
  10. can — a tin
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. shower — to wash
  13. can — a tin
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pop — music
  16. bound — certain
  17. shower — rain
  18. rash — hasty

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