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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: shower · foot · present · mouse · bore · safe · date · lie

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. bore — to tire
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — to recline
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. present — the time now
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. shower — rain
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. present — there
  15. foot — a measure
  16. present — a gift
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. shower — to wash
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bore — to drill
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mouse — for a computer

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