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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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. dip — to sink
  4. rest — what's left
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mug — a cup
  7. board — to get on
  8. rest — what's left
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bat — the animal
  12. board — a committee
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cue — for pool
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rest — a break
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. shower — rain
  24. cue — a hint

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