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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. shower — rain
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. present — the time now
  6. shower — to wash
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fall — the season
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. foot — a measure
  16. present — a gift
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. present — there
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pop — music

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