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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 120 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wake — a trail
  3. rule — a law
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pass — a permit
  6. rule — government
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. ground — the earth
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. ground — a position
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. kick — in football
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ground — crushed

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