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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: deal · shower · jam · bulb · branch · safe · bay · field

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. shower — rain
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. shower — to wash
  8. field — a subject
  9. deal — to handle
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. branch — a division
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. field — for sport
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. field — farmland
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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