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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: shower · arm · key · kick · fine · rush · fall · coach

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. key — in music
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. rush — hurry
  10. fall — the season
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. shower — to wash
  16. shower — rain
  17. kick — in football
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fall — to drop

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