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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. object — an aim
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rule — a law
  9. saw — the tool
  10. shower — rain
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. saw — the tool
  14. object — a thing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rule — government
  19. object — to protest
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. scale — in music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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