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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. firm — decided
  3. swing — in golf
  4. cap — of ice
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. swing — to play on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. swing — music
  11. last — to go on
  12. bound — certain
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — rain
  15. last — final
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mate — a partner
  18. last — finally
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — to breed

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