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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. spell — a short time
  4. press — newspapers
  5. rest — what's left
  6. press — a publisher
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rest — what's left
  9. spell — letters
  10. shower — to wash
  11. kid — child
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rest — a break
  14. kid — to tease
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. spell — magic
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. row — a line
  21. press — to push
  22. shower — rain
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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