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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. snap — to click
  5. race — a contest
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rush — hurry
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — for light
  11. race — the arms race
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wax — to grow
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. race — humankind
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. perch — the fish

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