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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 124 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bass — low music
  3. bank — for money
  4. lean — thin
  5. shower — to wash
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. wound — an injury
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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