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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: bear · date · pit · content · key · cabinet · shower · rush

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. key — in music
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pit — a hole
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. content — the amount
  10. key — the most important part
  11. shower — rain
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. shower — to wash
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. content — happy
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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