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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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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: deal · perch · wound · rock · safe · content · shower · bay

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. rock — to move gently
  3. content — the amount
  4. deal — to handle
  5. shower — rain
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. rock — a stone
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. rock — music
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. content — happy
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  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