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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bank — for money
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bank — for money
  5. cap — of ice
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pass — a permit
  9. shower — rain
  10. cap — a hat
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. squash — the sport
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. land — to come down
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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