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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. rush — hurry
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. shower — rain
  8. fine — all right
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bass — low music
  13. craft — boats
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. bass — the fish
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fine — high quality
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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