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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. shower — to wash
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. shower — rain
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. swing — to play on
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bank — for money
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. swing — music
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. bank — for money

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