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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wound · safe · perch · ground · jam · shower · net · nail

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. wound — an injury
  3. shower — rain
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ground — the earth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. net — for catching
  16. shower — to wash
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. net — after costs
  19. ground — crushed
  20. net — in sport
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. ground — a position

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