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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. staff — a stick
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. object — an aim
  5. lean — to bend
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. staff — employees
  9. kid — child
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. staff — employees
  13. object — to protest
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. toast — bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. kid — to tease
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. lean — thin
  22. object — a thing
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rush — to hurry

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