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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. foot — a measure
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. stand — to bear
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. shower — rain
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. kick — in football
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stand — for spectators

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