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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. shower — rain
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stem — to come from
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a great time
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. shower — to wash
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a city
  24. ball — a dance

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