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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. band — a ring
  3. track — to keep track
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. track — a song
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bank — of a river
  13. pit — in a race
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bank — for money
  17. track — a path
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bank — for money
  23. pit — a hole
  24. band — a music group

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