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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. mug — a face
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mug — to rob
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. track — a path
  12. shower — to wash
  13. wind — moving air
  14. track — a song
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. track — to keep track
  18. board — to get on
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to click
  21. wind — moving air
  22. board — a committee
  23. stand — to bear
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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