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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. season — of the year
  8. rash — hasty
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. shower — to wash
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stem — to come from
  17. shower — rain
  18. scale — in music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rash — a series
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. rock — a stone
  23. season — in sport
  24. rock — music

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