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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 124 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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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. bulb — for light
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. object — an aim
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pound — a weight
  10. object — a thing
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. object — to protest
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bulb — for light

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