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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bass — low music
  3. board — a committee
  4. cue — a hint
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. face — to point toward
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. kick — in football
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. face — to confront
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. board — to get on
  16. mark — a grade
  17. shower — to wash
  18. face — part of the head
  19. bass — the fish
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cue — for pool

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