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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. shower — rain
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. deal — to handle
  5. object — an aim
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rule — a law
  13. object — a thing
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pound — a weight
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. shower — to wash
  20. object — to protest
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. rule — government
  24. rush — to 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