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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bank — for money
  7. pit — a hole
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pit — in a race
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. shower — rain
  13. wax — to grow
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bank — for money
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bark — to shout

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