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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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 grade
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. race — a contest
  5. shower — rain
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. race — the arms race
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. race — humankind
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. mark — a trace
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — the tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. shower — to wash
  19. rock — music
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. tube — the underground
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. drill — army training

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