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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: safe · plane · racket · bank · pit · shower · arm · march

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. plane — a tool
  7. shower — to wash
  8. pit — a hole
  9. march — music
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bank — of a river
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. march — the month
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bank — for money
  22. march — the month
  23. shower — rain
  24. racket — a loud noise

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