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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
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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: shower · spell · pop · net · lie · sharp · fine · safe

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. sharp — clever
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pop — music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. pop — to visit
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. net — in sport
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. lie — to recline
  19. net — after costs
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. shower — rain
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. spell — a short time
  24. net — for catching

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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