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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rest — what's left
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chair — a leader
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. shower — rain
  12. rest — a break
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. toast — bread
  15. shower — to wash
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. saw — the tool
  19. rock — music
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. rest — what's left

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