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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. fall — the season
  3. charge — in control
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fall — to drop
  9. row — to paddle
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stock — shares
  13. row — a line
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pop — soda
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pop — music
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. fall — to drop
  21. charge — a price
  22. pop — to visit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stock — goods

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