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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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. can — a tin
  4. land — a country
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. shower — to wash
  7. spell — magic
  8. club — for golf
  9. can — to be able to
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for dancing
  16. toast — bread
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. spell — letters
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. can — a tin
  24. shower — rain

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