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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. march — the month
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. march — the month
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — bread
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. prune — to trim
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. shower — rain
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. mark — a grade
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. shower — to wash
  22. prune — to trim
  23. march — music
  24. lash — to lash out

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