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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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Word bank
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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: present · key · straw · shower · safe · jam · lean · trunk

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. key — the most important part
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. key — for a lock
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lean — thin
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. shower — rain
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. lean — to bend
  16. present — there
  17. shower — to wash
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. present — a gift
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. key — in music
  24. present — the time now

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