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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. current — happening now
  3. net — for catching
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. shower — rain
  7. sharp — clever
  8. net — in sport
  9. race — a contest
  10. race — humankind
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. current — of water
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. race — the arms race
  24. current — electric

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