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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. last — finally
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. mug — a face
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mug — to rob
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. last — to go on
  16. stock — shares
  17. last — final
  18. bore — to tire
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bore — to drill
  21. tube — the underground
  22. stock — goods
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. tube — a container

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