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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pop — to visit
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. current — of water
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. suit — clothes
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. current — happening now
  11. prune — to trim
  12. suit — in cards
  13. current — electric
  14. vault — a safe
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. shower — to wash
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. toast — bread
  22. suit — to fit
  23. bat — the animal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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