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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rock — a stone
  6. charge — in control
  7. wind — moving air
  8. charge — a price
  9. rock — music
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. hand — help
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — in cards
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. suit — to fit
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. charge — electricity
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. branch — a division

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