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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: kid · bass · safe · pit · pop · shower · root · stand

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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. root — the cause
  4. bass — the fish
  5. root — of a plant
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stand — to bear
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. kid — child
  14. bass — low music
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. root — of a word
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pop — music
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pop — soda
  24. bass — the instrument

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