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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bank — for money
  5. bark — to shout
  6. shower — to wash
  7. swing — music
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. shower — rain
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. bank — of a river
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bulb — for light
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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