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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: mark · deal · shower · rash · charge · mug · cold · scale

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cold — not warm
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. scale — in music
  7. mug — a face
  8. deal — to handle
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. mug — to rob
  11. scale — size or range
  12. mug — a cup
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. mark — a grade
  17. charge — in control
  18. shower — to wash
  19. charge — a price
  20. rash — a series
  21. mark — a trace
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cold — an illness

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