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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 taking a ________________ right now.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chip — for betting
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chip — to eat
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bank — for money
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. squash — to crush
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. shower — rain
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bank — of a river
  19. squash — the sport
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. stem — to come from

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