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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bass — the fish
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. wind — moving air
  5. firm — a company
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bass — low music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pound — a weight
  13. firm — steady
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. firm — decided
  19. shower — to wash
  20. can — to be able to
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. shower — rain
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. can — a tin

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