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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. kick — in football
  6. charge — a price
  7. bound — obliged
  8. charge — in control
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. shower — to wash
  12. object — an aim
  13. bound — certain
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. object — a thing
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bound — tied together
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mine — for digging
  22. object — to protest
  23. hand — in cards
  24. kick — with a leg

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