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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rest — a break
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — rain
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. craft — a skill
  17. shower — to wash
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — a container
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. prune — the fruit

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