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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. last — final
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ball — a great time
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bound — tied together
  9. last — finally
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. last — to go on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bound — obliged
  16. ground — the earth
  17. shower — to wash
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bound — certain
  22. ball — a dance
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. ground — a position

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