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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bark — to shout
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — for money
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. land — a country
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. pop — soda
  17. land — to come down
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. land — ground
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bank — of a river

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