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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 120 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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. shower — rain
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. march — music
  9. kick — in football
  10. shower — to wash
  11. march — the month
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. stand — to bear
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fan — a supporter

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