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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. face — to confront
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. wind — moving air
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. face — part of the head
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. shower — to wash
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. face — to point toward

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