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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bank — of a river
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bank — for money
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. file — a line of people
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. file — a tool
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mark — a grade
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. bank — for money
  20. shower — rain
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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