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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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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: mate · club · safe · bound · shower · wound · bay · rest

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. mate — to breed
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. club — a group
  10. mate — a partner
  11. club — for golf
  12. rest — a break
  13. bound — obliged
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bound — tied together
  17. shower — rain
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bound — certain
  23. shower — to wash
  24. mate — a friend

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