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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: pop · object · shower · court · mug · present · suit · squash

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. object — to protest
  3. present — a gift
  4. mug — a face
  5. shower — to wash
  6. suit — clothes
  7. shower — rain
  8. pop — music
  9. object — a thing
  10. mug — a cup
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. suit — in cards
  13. object — an aim
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. court — of a king
  16. present — the time now
  17. court — of law
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pop — to visit
  20. court — for sport
  21. suit — to fit
  22. mug — to rob
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pop — soda

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