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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mug — to rob
  3. fine — high quality
  4. file — a tool
  5. chair — a leader
  6. file — a line of people
  7. drill — the tool
  8. shower — rain
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. can — a tin
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — a group
  14. fine — all right
  15. can — to be able to
  16. club — for golf
  17. drill — a practice
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. drill — army training
  20. file — a document
  21. can — a tin
  22. mug — a face
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mug — a cup

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