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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. current — happening now
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bound — certain
  7. net — in sport
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. current — of water
  13. bound — obliged
  14. net — after costs
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. season — in sport
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bound — tied together
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. current — electric
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. net — for catching
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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