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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. spell — magic
  7. spell — letters
  8. charge — a price
  9. shower — rain
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mug — a face
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bark — to shout
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mug — to rob
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. charge — in control
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. charge — electricity
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. rush — hurry

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