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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. squash — to crush
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. shower — to wash
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ball — a dance
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — to push
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — the animal
  18. ball — a great time
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bank — of a river
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. press — a publisher
  24. bowl — to roll

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