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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. sharp — clever
  6. plane — a tool
  7. swing — in golf
  8. shower — rain
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. march — music
  13. cue — a hint
  14. swing — music
  15. march — the month
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. shower — to wash
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. march — the month
  24. swing — to play on

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