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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. roll — a list
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. shower — rain
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. shower — to wash
  7. last — finally
  8. firm — steady
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chip — to eat
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. last — final
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. chip — for betting
  22. last — to go on
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. toast — bread

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