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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. key — for a lock
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. shower — rain
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rush — hurry
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. key — in music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rule — a law
  23. pit — in a race
  24. shower — to wash

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