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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bank — of a river
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wake — a trail
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. shower — to wash
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. present — a gift
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — there
  21. shower — rain
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bank — for money
  24. deal — an agreement

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