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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mug — to rob
  4. shower — to wash
  5. bank — for money
  6. mug — a face
  7. rule — government
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. mug — a cup
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. track — a path
  13. rule — a law
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bank — of a river
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. shower — rain
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. tube — a container
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bank — for money
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. track — a song
  24. plane — a tool

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