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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. shower — rain
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. chest — of your body
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. chest — a box
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. shower — to wash

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