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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stock — shares
  12. shower — rain
  13. stock — goods
  14. shower — to wash
  15. rash — a series
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. fine — all right
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rash — hasty
  23. fine — high quality
  24. kick — in football

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