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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. track — a song
  8. track — to keep track
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. track — a path
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a dance
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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