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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. object — to protest
  3. shower — rain
  4. wax — to grow
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chip — for betting
  8. object — an aim
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. object — a thing
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. race — the arms race
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. race — humankind
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. race — a contest
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chip — to eat
  21. shower — to wash
  22. suit — in cards
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. coach — a trainer

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