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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. track — a path
  4. bank — for money
  5. land — ground
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. land — to come down
  11. saw — the tool
  12. shower — to wash
  13. staff — employees
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — of a river
  17. land — a country
  18. shower — rain
  19. track — a song
  20. staff — employees
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bank — for money

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