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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. shower — to wash
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. shower — rain
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. band — a music group
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. snap — to click
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. suit — in cards

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