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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ground — crushed
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. rock — music
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. shower — to wash
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rush — hurry
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. cell — in biology
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. shower — rain
  24. rush — to hurry

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