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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. track — a path
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. track — a song
  8. charge — in control
  9. track — to keep track
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. charge — electricity
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. scale — size or range
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. squash — to crush
  21. charge — a price
  22. shower — rain
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. scale — in music

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