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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  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. rash — a series
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. shower — to wash
  4. key — for a lock
  5. season — of the year
  6. rash — hasty
  7. wound — an injury
  8. date — the fruit
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. shower — rain
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. key — in music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. season — in sport
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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