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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. shower — rain
  4. rock — music
  5. cue — for pool
  6. current — happening now
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. rock — a stone
  10. land — a country
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. current — of water
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cue — a hint
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. land — ground
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bulb — for light
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. land — to come down
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. current — electric
  23. shower — to wash
  24. calf — of the leg

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