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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bank — for money
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bank — of a river
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bass — low music
  16. spring — of water
  17. suit — clothes
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bass — the fish

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