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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. object — a thing
  3. shower — to wash
  4. net — after costs
  5. object — to protest
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. object — an aim
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. club — for dancing
  10. last — final
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. last — finally
  13. net — in sport
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. last — to go on
  16. club — a group
  17. drill — a practice
  18. shower — rain
  19. net — for catching
  20. mug — a face
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. mug — to rob
  24. club — for golf

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