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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 120 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
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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: rash · safe · clip · march · shower · current · bore · wake

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. clip — a video
  3. shower — to wash
  4. wake — a trail
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rash — hasty
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. current — happening now
  11. bore — to tire
  12. march — music
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. clip — for paper
  15. shower — rain
  16. current — electric
  17. march — the month
  18. bore — to drill
  19. current — of water
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. rash — a series
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. march — the month

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