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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. fine — all right
  3. bank — of a river
  4. press — newspapers
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. spring — the season
  7. race — a contest
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. prune — to trim
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. fine — high quality
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — a coil
  14. bank — for money
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. prune — to trim
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. race — the arms race
  19. press — a publisher
  20. press — to push
  21. bank — for money
  22. shower — to wash
  23. race — humankind
  24. prune — the fruit

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