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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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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pitch — completely
  5. cap — a lid
  6. shower — rain
  7. cap — of ice
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. ball — a dance
  11. shower — to wash
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. cap — a hat
  14. squash — to crush
  15. cell — in biology
  16. craft — boats
  17. cell — a phone
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. craft — a skill
  24. safe — out of danger

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