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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. can — a tin
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. fine — all right
  10. can — a tin
  11. shower — rain
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bass — the fish
  16. can — to be able to
  17. track — a path
  18. staff — employees
  19. shower — to wash
  20. track — a song
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bass — low music
  24. leaves — lets stay

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