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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. shower — rain
  3. last — to go on
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rock — music
  8. shower — to wash
  9. can — to be able to
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ground — the earth
  13. can — a tin
  14. last — finally
  15. rock — a stone
  16. ground — a position
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mug — a face
  20. can — a tin
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mug — a cup
  23. vault — a safe
  24. ground — crushed

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