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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fine — high quality
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bore — to drill
  10. fine — all right
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. shower — to wash
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. tube — a container
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. root — the cause
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. root — of a word
  24. cabinet — ministers

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