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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lean — to bend
  4. object — a thing
  5. lean — thin
  6. dip — to sink
  7. object — an aim
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. court — of a king
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. court — for sport
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. suit — to fit
  17. object — to protest
  18. chair — a leader
  19. court — of law
  20. suit — clothes
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rush — hurry
  24. lean — to rest against

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