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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. court — for sport
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mug — a face
  6. court — of law
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. court — of a king
  11. mug — to rob
  12. sharp — clever
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. chip — to eat
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. chip — for betting

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