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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. object — to protest
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. object — a thing
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — a price
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. shower — rain
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mug — a cup
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. object — an aim
  20. wake — a trail
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mug — to rob
  23. suit — clothes
  24. nail — on a finger

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