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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. last — finally
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pound — a weight
  9. shower — rain
  10. cap — of ice
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. last — to go on
  16. bank — for money
  17. cap — a hat
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — final
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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