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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bank — for money
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. bank — of a river
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fine — high quality
  15. spell — letters
  16. plane — a tool
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bank — for money
  19. spell — a short time
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mate — a friend
  24. spell — magic

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