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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. net — for catching
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. net — in sport
  12. pitch — completely
  13. last — finally
  14. last — final
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mug — a face
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. net — after costs
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  24. last — to go on

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