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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. can — a tin
  6. bank — for money
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. root — the cause
  9. bank — for money
  10. shower — rain
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rock — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. wind — moving air
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bank — of a river
  18. can — a tin
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. root — of a word
  24. rock — a stone

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