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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 120 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. land — a country
  3. spring — of water
  4. shower — rain
  5. mate — to breed
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mate — a friend
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. mate — a partner
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. spring — the season
  19. bank — for money
  20. spring — a coil
  21. shower — to wash
  22. craft — a skill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. craft — boats

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