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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — rain
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. track — a path
  8. current — of water
  9. current — electric
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. current — happening now
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — a song
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. track — to keep track

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