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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. spell — letters
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bear — the animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bear — the animal
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. shower — to wash
  20. hand — help
  21. tube — a container
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — magic
  24. hand — in cards

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