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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: foot · shower · cell · safe · bass · sharp · cabinet · roll

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cell — in biology
  3. shower — rain
  4. cell — a phone
  5. sharp — clever
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bass — the fish
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. bass — low music
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — to wash
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. roll — a cake

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