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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. fork — in a road
  3. can — a tin
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rest — what's left
  8. shower — to wash
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. shower — rain
  12. fine — all right
  13. rest — a break
  14. fine — high quality
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. prune — to trim
  24. patient — a sick person

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