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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. can — a tin
  5. mug — to rob
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — a contest
  8. mug — a face
  9. date — the fruit
  10. bound — obliged
  11. board — to get on
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. can — a tin
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. mug — a cup
  17. shower — to wash
  18. bound — tied together
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. race — humankind
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. board — a committee
  24. bound — certain

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