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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. shower — to wash
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fork — in a road
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. wound — an injury
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. shower — rain
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mug — a face
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mug — a cup
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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