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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 120 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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. kid — child
  3. rock — a stone
  4. cue — a hint
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. firm — steady
  8. suit — clothes
  9. firm — a company
  10. shower — to wash
  11. firm — decided
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — the season
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. spring — of water
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. kid — to tease
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rock — music
  23. shower — rain
  24. suit — in cards

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