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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 116 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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stand — to bear
  5. shower — rain
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — a law
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. season — in sport
  13. capital — a city
  14. can — a tin
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. capital — money
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. season — of the year
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rule — government
  22. can — a tin
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. stand — for spectators

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