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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: shower · game · ball · bulb · cap · jam · pit · safe

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. shower — rain
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. ball — a dance
  7. game — wild animals
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cap — a lid
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. game — a match
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pit — a hole
  24. safe — out of danger

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