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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 116 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. bat — the animal
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. kick — in football
  13. stock — goods
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. shower — to wash
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. object — an aim
  18. pop — soda
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. pop — music
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stock — shares
  23. pop — to visit
  24. kick — a thrill

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