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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. season — in sport
  4. current — happening now
  5. shower — rain
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. spring — of water
  8. firm — steady
  9. current — electric
  10. season — of the year
  11. spring — a coil
  12. cue — for pool
  13. firm — decided
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitch — completely
  17. cue — a signal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. spring — the season
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. firm — a company
  24. current — of water

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