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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. club — for dancing
  4. pit — in a race
  5. club — a group
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. content — the amount
  9. staff — employees
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. club — for golf
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. staff — employees
  14. root — of a word
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — the cause
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. staff — a stick
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. content — happy
  24. shower — to wash

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