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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. hand — help
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rest — what's left
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. shower — rain
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — to bear
  11. club — for golf
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. club — a group
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rest — a break
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. club — for dancing
  24. safe — a strongbox

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