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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cap — a lid
  9. shower — rain
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cap — of ice

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