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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. present — the time now
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rule — government
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bulb — for light
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — rain
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bulb — for light
  22. present — a gift
  23. rule — a law
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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