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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cap — a hat
  4. shower — to wash
  5. march — the month
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rest — what's left
  9. march — the month
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rest — what's left
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rest — a break
  15. march — music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cap — of ice
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. shower — rain
  24. mouse — the animal

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