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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. lean — to bend
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. suit — clothes
  9. shower — to wash
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hand — help
  12. stock — goods
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. shower — rain
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. stock — shares
  17. hand — in cards
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lean — thin
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. hand — part of the body

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