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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: bay · pitcher · bore · craft · safe · lie · shower · pop

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. craft — boats
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bore — to drill
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. craft — a skill
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. shower — rain
  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