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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: ball · shower · nail · rock · cabinet · safe · cell · chip

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. cell — in biology
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ball — a great time
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rock — a stone
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. cell — a phone
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rock — music
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a dance
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. chip — to eat
  23. shower — rain
  24. chip — in a computer

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