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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rule — government
  3. mark — a grade
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bass — the fish
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. shower — rain
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. drill — army training
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. drill — a practice
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bass — low music
  21. drill — the tool
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rule — a law

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