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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spring — of water
  4. shower — rain
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. spring — the season
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rash — a series
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. spring — a coil
  24. shower — to wash

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