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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 116 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. pass — a permit
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — the sport
  10. shower — to wash
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. shower — rain
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. squash — to crush
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. bank — of a river

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