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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 124 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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. cue — a signal
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wound — an injury
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wound — an injury
  10. shower — to wash
  11. cue — for pool
  12. shower — rain
  13. hand — help
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. chest — of your body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. chest — a box
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. hand — in cards
  24. chest — of your body

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