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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 120 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wind — moving air
  6. content — the amount
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bound — tied together
  9. craft — boats
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. shower — to wash
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — happy
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bound — certain
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bound — obliged
  24. wind — to turn a key

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