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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. mug — a face
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — to rob
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. shower — rain
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. net — in sport
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. land — to come down
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. land — a country
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. land — ground
  16. fall — the season
  17. mug — a cup
  18. net — for catching
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. net — after costs
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — to drop
  24. safe — a strongbox

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