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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. key — for a lock
  3. shower — rain
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. shower — to wash
  6. snap — to click
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wake — a trail
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. key — in music
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. key — the most important part
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bat — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. suit — clothes

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