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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. shower — rain
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. perch — the fish
  6. drill — army training
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — to come from
  9. drill — the tool
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. ground — a position
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. ground — crushed
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. ground — the earth
  22. dip — to sink
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. dip — to dunk

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