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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. shower — to wash
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wound — an injury
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. can — a tin
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. track — a song
  11. bark — to shout
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. can — to be able to
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wound — an injury
  22. can — a tin
  23. shower — rain
  24. track — a path

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