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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: safe · shower · date · wound · suit · wake · mark · ruler

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wound — an injury
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. shower — rain
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. shower — to wash
  15. wound — an injury
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. mark — a grade
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. date — the fruit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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