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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. march — music
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bank — for money
  5. bulb — for light
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. bulb — for light
  9. net — for catching
  10. last — finally
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. staff — employees
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. march — the month
  20. last — final
  21. march — the month
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — employees
  24. last — to go on

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