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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. present — the time now
  3. file — a line of people
  4. mug — a face
  5. object — to protest
  6. ball — a great time
  7. present — a gift
  8. ball — a dance
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a document
  13. present — there
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. shower — to wash
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. shower — rain
  19. stock — shares
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. object — a thing
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mug — to rob
  24. object — an aim

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