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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. shower — to wash
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bank — of a river
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. vault — a safe
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bank — for money
  9. shower — rain
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. scale — in music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bank — for money
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. scale — for weighing

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