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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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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: safe · pop · spring · dip · shower · hand · current · season

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hand — in cards
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. spring — the season
  7. hand — help
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. season — in sport
  11. current — electric
  12. spring — of water
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. dip — to sink
  16. season — of the year
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pop — music
  19. spring — a coil
  20. shower — rain
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pop — to visit
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. shower — to wash

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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