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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
468
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: arm · nail · rash · pitch · shower · wax · bowl · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rash — a series
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. shower — rain
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rash — hasty
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. shower — to wash

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