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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: rock · safe · shower · rest · squash · lean · pound · ball

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. lean — thin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rock — music
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pound — a weight
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. shower — to wash
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rest — what's left
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. squash — the sport
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ball — a great time
  18. squash — to crush
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. shower — rain
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rest — a break
  24. squash — the vegetable

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