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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: pitcher · bound · wax · mug · arm · mine · shower · safe

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bound — obliged
  7. mine — for digging
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bound — certain
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bound — tied together
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. mug — a cup
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. mug — a face
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — to wash
  24. wax — for sculpting

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