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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 116 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. ball — a great time
  3. net — for catching
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. march — the month
  6. march — the month
  7. ball — a dance
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. net — after costs
  14. shower — to wash
  15. branch — a division
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. object — a thing
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. march — music
  20. object — an aim
  21. net — in sport
  22. object — to protest
  23. firm — a company
  24. ball — a round shape

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