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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: mate · foot · swing · face · safe · chip · shower · wake

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. swing — to play on
  3. shower — to wash
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. shower — rain
  7. mate — a partner
  8. swing — music
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. chip — to eat
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. face — to confront
  15. face — to point toward
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chip — for betting
  18. face — part of the head
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. swing — in golf
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wake — a trail
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. mate — a friend

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