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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. key — the most important part
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. key — in music
  7. charge — a price
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. key — for a lock
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rock — a stone
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tube — a container
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — music
  23. rush — hurry
  24. fan — to cool the air

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