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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. club — for golf
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. club — a group
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chip — to eat
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. shower — rain
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mine — for digging
  14. wound — an injury
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chip — for betting
  24. club — for dancing

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