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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bank — of a river
  4. suit — to fit
  5. shower — rain
  6. club — a group
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. club — for golf
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. chip — for betting
  13. mug — a face
  14. ground — a position
  15. bank — for money
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bank — for money
  19. ground — crushed
  20. mug — to rob
  21. shower — to wash
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ground — the earth

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