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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pit — a hole
  4. shower — to wash
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. present — a gift
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bank — of a river
  13. present — there
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. capital — a city
  19. present — the time now
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pit — in a race
  24. capital — 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