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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. spell — a short time
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — rain
  5. perch — the fish
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. can — to be able to
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. can — a tin
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. spell — letters
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — magic
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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