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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 124 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pop — music
  6. land — ground
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bulb — for light
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pop — soda
  14. bulb — for light
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. rule — government
  17. mark — a trace
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rule — a law
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. shower — rain
  22. pop — to visit
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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