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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. current — happening now
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. stock — goods
  9. season — of the year
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. shower — rain
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. shower — to wash
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. pit — in a race
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — shares
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. season — in sport

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