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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. spell — letters
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. fine — high quality
  6. shower — to wash
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. firm — a company
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. fine — all right
  14. mug — a face
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chair — a leader
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. mug — a cup
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — magic
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. spell — a short time
  24. nail — on a finger

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