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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. shower — to wash
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stock — goods
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. stock — shares
  20. deal — to handle
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — a thrill

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