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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 116 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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. court — of law
  3. rule — government
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wind — moving air
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rule — a law
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wind — moving air
  13. shower — to wash
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. court — of a king
  17. shower — rain
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. court — for sport
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

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