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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mouse · safe · leaves · field · shower · kick · pitcher · saw

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. shower — to wash
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. field — a subject
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. saw — the tool
  10. field — farmland
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. field — for sport
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. kick — in football
  22. saw — the tool
  23. shower — rain
  24. mouse — the animal

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