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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: mate · bay · arm · mark · fine · season · pit · shower

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. pit — a hole
  3. shower — rain
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fine — high quality
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. mark — a grade
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mate — a partner
  15. season — of the year
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fine — all right
  22. mate — a friend
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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