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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bark — to shout
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. roll — a list
  8. object — to protest
  9. roll — a cake
  10. object — an aim
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. object — a thing
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. fork — in a road

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