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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. shower — to wash
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pop — music
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pop — to visit
  16. band — a ring
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bat — the animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. pop — soda

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