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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. ground — a position
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. court — for sport
  8. rash — a series
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mug — a face
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mug — to rob
  21. court — of a king
  22. shower — to wash
  23. ground — the earth
  24. court — of law

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