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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're almost out of ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pop — soda
  3. ground — a position
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. ground — crushed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — in control
  10. pop — to visit
  11. shower — to wash
  12. charge — a price
  13. ground — the earth
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pop — music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. shower — rain
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — to handle

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