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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. mug — a face
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. dip — to sink
  8. branch — a division
  9. shower — rain
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mug — to rob

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