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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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bank — for money
  5. swing — in golf
  6. shower — to wash
  7. fine — high quality
  8. swing — to play on
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bank — of a river
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. swing — music
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bank — for money
  20. fine — all right
  21. scale — in music
  22. wax — to grow
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. wax — for sculpting

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