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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pound — a weight
  9. prune — to trim
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. band — a ring
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. shower — to wash
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. prune — to trim
  22. shower — rain
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pound — to hit hard

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