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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — to fit
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. stock — shares
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bear — the animal
  13. suit — clothes
  14. rule — government
  15. land — ground
  16. cap — a hat
  17. rule — a law
  18. land — a country
  19. land — to come down
  20. cap — a lid
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stock — goods
  24. cap — of ice

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