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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fork — in a road
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. shower — to wash
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. shower — rain
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. snap — to click
  12. firm — decided
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spell — letters
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. spell — magic
  21. pop — soda
  22. pop — music
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pop — to visit

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