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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cell · shower · safe · pop · nail · stand · ground · craft

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. cell — a phone
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pop — soda
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. ground — a position
  8. craft — a skill
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. shower — rain
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. ground — the earth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. shower — to wash
  18. ground — crushed
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. craft — boats
  21. cell — in biology
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stand — on your feet

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