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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. toast — bread
  4. spring — of water
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. spring — the season
  8. shower — to wash
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. spring — a coil
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. rush — hurry
  17. present — there
  18. shower — rain
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. present — a gift
  24. cabinet — ministers

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