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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 120 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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bank — for money
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. wake — a trail
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. craft — boats
  16. bank — of a river
  17. capital — money
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bank — for money
  20. shower — to wash
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. capital — a city
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. craft — a skill

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