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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bulb — for light
  5. board — a committee
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. shower — rain
  9. squash — the sport
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — to wash
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. ball — a great time
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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