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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. shower — to wash
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. land — to come down
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. branch — a division
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bank — of a river
  14. land — ground
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bank — for money
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bank — for money
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. land — a country
  24. branch — of a tree

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