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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. spring — of water
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. toast — bread
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. wax — to grow
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. racket — for tennis

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