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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. root — of a word
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. shower — to wash
  8. shower — rain
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. root — of a plant
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ball — a dance
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a great time
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. root — the cause
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. safe — a strongbox

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