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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ball — a great time
  4. fine — high quality
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. shower — rain
  10. root — of a word
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. ball — a dance
  19. shower — to wash
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. fine — a penalty

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