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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. track — a song
  3. race — a contest
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bank — for money
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — in golf
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. shower — to wash
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. track — to keep track
  19. swing — music
  20. track — a path
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. stem — to come from

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