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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. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. race — a contest
  3. race — humankind
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. charge — in control
  10. race — the arms race
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. branch — a division
  13. mark — a trace
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mark — a grade
  18. shower — to wash
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. charge — a price
  21. perch — the fish
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. kick — in football

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