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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. prune — to trim
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. shower — rain
  9. suit — clothes
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. foot — a measure
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. snap — to click
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. wound — an injury
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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