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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. march — music
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. march — the month
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fall — to drop
  7. charge — a price
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. shower — to wash
  15. march — the month
  16. fall — the season
  17. charge — in control
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. perch — the fish
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. shower — rain
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fall — to drop

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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