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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: mate · kid · shower · safe · perch · bulb · nail · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mate — to breed
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bulb — for light
  9. suit — in cards
  10. shower — rain
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bulb — for light
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. kid — child
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mate — a friend
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kid — to tease
  20. suit — clothes
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. perch — the fish

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