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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rest — a break
  4. fine — high quality
  5. staff — employees
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mate — to breed
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mate — a friend
  11. staff — a stick
  12. fine — all right
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. squash — to crush
  19. shower — to wash
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. mate — a partner
  22. staff — employees
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rest — what's left

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