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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  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 — rain
  2. suit — in cards
  3. shower — to wash
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. cell — a phone
  7. rock — music
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. mine — for digging
  13. rock — a stone
  14. can — to be able to
  15. suit — to fit
  16. saw — the tool
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cell — in biology
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. can — a tin
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. leaves — lets stay
  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