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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. can — to be able to
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. can — a tin
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cold — not warm
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. suit — in cards
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. rush — hurry
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — to wash
  20. suit — to fit
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. cold — an illness
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — a trainer

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