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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 · jam · mouse · shower · rush · key · march · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. shower — to wash
  3. march — the month
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — hurry
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. march — the month
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. march — music
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. key — the most important part
  22. shower — rain
  23. coach — a trainer
  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