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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. suit — clothes
  3. net — in sport
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. net — after costs
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. shower — to wash
  10. row — a line
  11. suit — in cards
  12. shower — rain
  13. row — to paddle
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. charge — in control
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. net — for catching
  19. pit — a hole
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. charge — a price
  24. pit — in a race

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