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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bank — for money
  3. date — the fruit
  4. swing — to play on
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bank — of a river
  9. kick — in football
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. swing — music
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. lean — thin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bank — for money
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. swing — in golf
  24. kick — with a leg

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