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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. can — to be able to
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mate — a partner
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. plane — a tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. cell — in biology
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. shower — rain
  23. rush — hurry
  24. mate — a friend

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