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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. shower — rain
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ball — a dance
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. row — a line
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. lean — thin
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. row — to paddle
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. rush — hurry

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