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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. face — part of the head
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. shower — to wash
  9. face — to confront
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pop — to visit
  16. board — a committee
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. board — to get on
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — soda
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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