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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. shower — to wash
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rest — a break
  10. fall — the season
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wound — an injury
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chip — for betting
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fall — to drop
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rush — hurry
  24. shower — rain

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