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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bound — certain
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. saw — the tool
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bear — the animal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. shower — rain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. content — happy
  15. rash — a series
  16. bear — the animal
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. content — the amount
  20. saw — the tool
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rash — hasty

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