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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 · root · game · object · safe · cue · file · straw

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. root — the cause
  3. file — a document
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cue — a hint
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. cue — a signal
  8. game — a match
  9. object — a thing
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. shower — rain
  12. object — an aim
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. root — of a plant
  15. file — a line of people
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. object — to protest
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. root — of a word
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. cue — for pool
  22. game — wild animals
  23. file — a tool
  24. safe — a strongbox

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