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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. rush — hurry
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. degree — an amount
  17. mug — a cup
  18. degree — temperature
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mug — a face
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bay — to keep at bay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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