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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · rest · mate · shower · bay · roll · bear · sharp

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. charge — a price
  6. shower — to wash
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. sharp — clever
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. roll — a list
  13. rest — a break
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. charge — in control
  17. bear — the animal
  18. charge — electricity
  19. shower — rain
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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