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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 120 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. shower — to wash
  4. mate — a partner
  5. cue — a signal
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cue — a hint
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. mate — a friend
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cue — for pool
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. chip — to eat
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mate — to breed

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