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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 116 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: nail · safe · game · net · root · shower · straw · leaves

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. shower — to wash
  4. net — after costs
  5. shower — rain
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. net — in sport
  17. game — a match
  18. game — wild animals
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. root — the cause
  21. net — for catching
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. leaves — to go away

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