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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. shower — rain
  3. rock — a stone
  4. firm — steady
  5. cue — a hint
  6. spring — of water
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. cue — a signal
  11. season — of the year
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rock — music
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. firm — a company
  19. season — in sport
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. spring — a coil
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. spring — the season
  24. firm — decided

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