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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cap — of ice
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bank — of a river
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — a cake
  9. swing — in golf
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. roll — a list
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cap — a lid
  14. swing — to play on
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. swing — music
  17. shower — to wash
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cap — a hat
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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