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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. shower — rain
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rock — a stone
  5. shower — to wash
  6. rock — music
  7. saw — the tool
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — the cause
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bank — for money
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. pit — a hole
  17. saw — the tool
  18. root — of a word
  19. bank — for money
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. kid — child
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pit — in a race

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