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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · bowl · rash · temple · mate · march · shower · net

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rash — a series
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mate — a partner
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mate — to breed
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. shower — to wash
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mate — a friend
  18. net — for catching
  19. march — music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. shower — rain
  22. march — the month
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. march — the month

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