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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. fine — all right
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. spell — letters
  11. shower — rain
  12. rash — a series
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — magic
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pitch — a sports field

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