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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. charge — a price
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. cell — in biology
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. charge — in control
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. current — of water
  20. cell — a phone
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bat — in an idiom

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