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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — size or range
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. scale — in music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. charge — a price
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. staff — employees
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. drill — army training
  22. staff — a stick
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. shower — rain

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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