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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bank — of a river
  3. shower — rain
  4. drill — a practice
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bank — for money
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pop — to visit
  11. drill — army training
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pop — soda
  14. root — of a plant
  15. pass — a permit
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a word
  20. drill — the tool
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — to sink
  23. shower — to wash
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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