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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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. race — humankind
  4. cue — a hint
  5. race — the arms race
  6. face — to point toward
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bat — the animal
  12. face — part of the head
  13. cue — a signal
  14. shower — rain
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bore — to tire
  17. race — a contest
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. face — to confront
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. shower — to wash
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bulb — for light

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