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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. charge — electricity
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bat — the animal
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. shower — rain
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. shower — to wash
  21. dip — to sink
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. hide — to keep secret

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