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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 120 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. cue — a hint
  5. spring — of water
  6. shower — to wash
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bound — tied together
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. cue — a signal
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cell — in biology
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bound — certain

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