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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rock — music
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. firm — steady
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. pass — a permit
  11. dip — to sink
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. firm — decided
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. firm — a company
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. chip — in a computer

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