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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rule — a law
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bass — low music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. craft — boats
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rule — government
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bass — the fish

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