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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 help me carry this box?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. last — final
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. branch — a division
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. calf — a young animal

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