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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. tear — to rip
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. shower — rain
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. tear — from crying
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stock — shares
  18. deal — to handle
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chair — a leader
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. stock — goods

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