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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — rain
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ground — a position
  7. rest — what's left
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — clothes
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rock — music
  13. game — a match
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rest — what's left
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rock — a stone
  22. game — wild animals
  23. ground — crushed
  24. jam — a tight spot

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