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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. shower — rain
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mark — a grade
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bat — the animal
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wind — moving air
  19. mark — a trace
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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