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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 120 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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — for golf
  3. shower — to wash
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. club — a group
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bank — for money
  12. rest — what's left
  13. shower — rain
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. march — the month
  16. lean — to bend
  17. deal — to handle
  18. rest — a break
  19. march — music
  20. club — for dancing
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. march — the month
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lean — thin

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