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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 124 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. last — finally
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. can — a tin
  6. key — in music
  7. bat — the animal
  8. can — a tin
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. can — to be able to
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. shower — to wash
  14. last — final
  15. key — for a lock
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. last — to go on
  22. shower — rain
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. current — of water

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