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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. cap — of ice
  3. shower — rain
  4. cue — a hint
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bank — for money
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. object — a thing
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. board — to get on
  12. cue — for pool
  13. object — an aim
  14. cue — a signal
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. cap — a lid
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bank — for money
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. object — to protest
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bank — of a river
  24. board — a committee

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