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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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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mug — a cup
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. mug — a face
  5. shower — rain
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. rock — music
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. mug — to rob
  12. pit — a hole
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rock — a stone
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pit — in a race

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