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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 · temple · tube · club · bear · shower · cabinet · file

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. club — a group
  3. tube — a container
  4. shower — rain
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bear — the animal
  17. file — a document
  18. club — for golf
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. tube — the underground
  22. file — a line of people
  23. shower — to wash
  24. file — a tool

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