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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fine — high quality
  3. can — a tin
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. shower — to wash
  9. fine — all right
  10. can — a tin
  11. shower — rain
  12. kid — to tease
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rest — a break
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — child
  22. can — to be able to
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mouse — for a computer

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