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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. charge — in control
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. suit — in cards
  5. kid — child
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. suit — to fit
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. shower — to wash
  11. fine — high quality
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. charge — electricity
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — clothes
  16. kid — to tease
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. fine — all right
  20. stem — to come from
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. charge — a price

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