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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. net — in sport
  4. track — a path
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. net — for catching
  7. fine — high quality
  8. chest — of your body
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. chest — of your body
  12. net — after costs
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chest — a box
  16. track — a song
  17. chip — for betting
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chip — to eat
  20. track — to keep track
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. roll — a list
  23. fine — all right
  24. roll — a cake

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