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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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. shower — rain
  4. fine — all right
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stock — goods
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rash — hasty
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mug — to rob
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rash — a series
  15. mug — a cup
  16. shower — to wash
  17. mug — a face
  18. stock — shares
  19. drill — the tool
  20. kick — in football
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. drill — army training
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. rash — on the skin

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