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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. can — a tin
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. shower — to wash
  5. craft — boats
  6. present — there
  7. march — the month
  8. rule — a law
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. present — a gift
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rule — government
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a great time
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. present — the time now
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. can — a tin
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. can — to be able to

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