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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. rock — a stone
  4. shower — rain
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. mug — a face
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. mine — for digging
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rock — music
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mug — to rob
  20. shower — to wash
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. rock — to move gently

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