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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. deal — to handle
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bear — the animal
  13. shower — to wash
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mark — a trace
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bear — the animal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bat — the animal

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