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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. rest — what's left
  6. shower — rain
  7. rest — what's left
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. bank — for money
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. rest — a break
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bank — for money
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. stem — to come from
  22. content — happy
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pitch — completely

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