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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. kick — in football
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — in control
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. shower — to wash
  8. rest — what's left
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. charge — a price
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rest — a break
  24. fork — in a road

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