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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rock — a stone
  4. spring — the season
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. swing — in golf
  9. spring — of water
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rock — music
  13. lie — to recline
  14. swing — to play on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. shower — to wash
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. spring — a coil
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. shower — rain
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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