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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mate — a friend
  4. shower — rain
  5. mate — a partner
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rule — government
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rule — a law
  18. rash — a series
  19. net — in sport
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — for catching
  22. shower — to wash
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rule — to rule out

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