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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. court — for sport
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. shower — rain
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. court — of law
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. fine — all right
  17. bound — certain
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bound — tied together
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bound — obliged
  23. court — of a king
  24. fine — a penalty

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