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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spell — magic
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. spell — a short time
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rash — hasty
  8. face — to point toward
  9. shower — to wash
  10. march — the month
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. march — the month
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rash — a series
  16. spell — letters
  17. can — to be able to
  18. face — part of the head
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. march — music
  23. face — to confront
  24. shower — rain

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