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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mug — a face
  3. dip — to sink
  4. season — in sport
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pop — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pop — to visit
  12. hand — help
  13. charge — in control
  14. pop — soda
  15. hand — in cards
  16. mug — a cup
  17. season — of the year
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. mug — to rob
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. charge — a price
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bear — the animal

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