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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. content — happy
  5. stem — to come from
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — the amount
  10. kick — in football
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. shower — to wash
  13. tube — the underground
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. charge — in control
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. charge — a price
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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