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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. cell — in biology
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. firm — a company
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cell — a phone
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. firm — steady
  14. shower — to wash
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. can — to be able to
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. firm — decided

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