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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. present — the time now
  3. net — for catching
  4. chip — to eat
  5. shower — rain
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitch — completely
  9. net — in sport
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. present — there
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bank — for money
  22. present — a gift
  23. net — after costs
  24. shower — to wash

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