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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. shower — to wash
  4. club — for golf
  5. rock — music
  6. fall — the season
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. club — a group
  9. rock — a stone
  10. swing — to play on
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. toast — bread
  15. fine — high quality
  16. swing — in golf
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. swing — music
  21. fine — all right
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. shower — rain
  24. toast — the most admired

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