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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mark — a grade
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cell — in biology
  6. march — the month
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. march — music
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wax — to grow
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. march — the month
  21. lean — thin
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cell — a phone
  24. safe — out of danger

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