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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. shower — to wash
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. season — in sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. cue — for pool
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. safe — a strongbox

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