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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. saw — the tool
  7. tube — a container
  8. mug — a face
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. cell — in biology
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mug — to rob
  13. object — to protest
  14. shower — rain
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cell — a phone
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mate — to breed
  20. object — an aim
  21. mate — a partner
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cell — in a prison
  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