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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. shower — to wash
  5. snap — to click
  6. drill — the tool
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. drill — army training
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — to fit
  18. shower — rain
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. suit — in cards
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. stock — goods
  24. safe — out of danger

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