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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 120 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 · march · fan · hand · bear · rush · suit · shower

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. march — the month
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. suit — to fit
  12. march — the month
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bear — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. march — music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — in cards
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. suit — clothes

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