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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. hand — help
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. shower — to wash
  8. charge — electricity
  9. shower — rain
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bark — to shout
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. ball — a dance
  15. roll — a cake
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. charge — a price
  19. stand — to bear
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. charge — in control
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stand — on your feet

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