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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: deal · nail · fine · perch · court · suit · shower · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. shower — rain
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. pop — soda
  7. court — of law
  8. fine — all right
  9. shower — to wash
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. suit — in cards
  12. perch — the fish
  13. suit — to fit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — to handle
  17. suit — clothes
  18. court — of a king
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fine — high quality
  21. court — for sport
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pop — to visit
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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