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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 116 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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mug — to rob
  4. shower — rain
  5. rest — what's left
  6. can — a tin
  7. squash — to crush
  8. suit — in cards
  9. snap — to click
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rest — a break
  15. mug — a cup
  16. squash — the sport
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a face
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. can — a tin

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