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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. land — ground
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. mug — a face
  11. land — to come down
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. firm — decided
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. mug — a cup
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. shower — rain
  19. land — a country
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mug — to rob

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