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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. track — a path
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. cap — a lid
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. shower — rain
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bass — low music
  13. track — to keep track
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. shower — to wash
  19. track — a song
  20. bass — the fish
  21. cap — of ice
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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