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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fork — in a road
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. chip — to eat
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rock — music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. prune — to trim
  22. rock — a stone
  23. prune — to trim
  24. march — the month

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