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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. spell — magic
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. spell — a short time
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. pitch — completely
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. scale — size or range
  16. spell — letters
  17. scale — in music
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rock — music
  24. shower — to wash

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