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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. board — a committee
  3. board — to get on
  4. roll — a list
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. roll — a cake
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. pit — a hole
  10. shower — to wash
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. track — a path
  15. pit — in a race
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. track — to keep track
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — a song
  24. foot — a measure

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