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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. drill — a practice
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bound — certain
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. suit — in cards
  13. shower — to wash
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. fork — in a road
  17. drill — the tool
  18. drill — army training
  19. rush — hurry
  20. band — a music group
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. band — a ring
  24. bound — tied together

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