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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. land — ground
  4. shower — to wash
  5. season — of the year
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. mine — for digging
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. land — to come down
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. land — a country
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. season — in sport
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mine — an explosive

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