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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: stand · plane · pit · content · shower · jam · safe · roll

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. pit — in a race
  5. content — the amount
  6. pit — a hole
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. plane — a tool
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. roll — a list
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. content — happy
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. roll — a cake

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