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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. shower — rain
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — clothes
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. foot — a measure
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bat — the animal
  21. shower — to wash
  22. suit — to fit
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. suit — in cards

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