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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bound — certain
  3. can — to be able to
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bound — obliged
  7. shower — rain
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. can — a tin
  10. tear — from crying
  11. court — of law
  12. bound — tied together
  13. court — of a king
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. tear — to rip
  19. pass — a permit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. can — a tin
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. tear — from crying
  24. court — for sport

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