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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bank — of a river
  3. shower — to wash
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. shower — rain
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. object — an aim
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bank — for money
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. object — to protest
  16. fork — in a road
  17. perch — the fish
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bank — for money
  22. object — a thing
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. kick — in football

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