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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — a hint
  3. march — the month
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. cue — a signal
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bulb — for light
  10. march — the month
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. shower — rain
  14. march — music
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money

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