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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. shower — to wash
  4. snap — to click
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. scale — size or range
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. scale — in music
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. ruler — for measuring

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