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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bank — for money
  5. clip — for paper
  6. chip — for betting
  7. face — to confront
  8. shower — to wash
  9. season — in sport
  10. clip — to cut
  11. face — part of the head
  12. season — of the year
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. clip — a video
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bank — for money
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bank — of a river
  24. chip — in a computer

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