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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bank — of a river
  7. file — a tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. wax — to grow
  10. file — a line of people
  11. bank — for money
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. field — for sport
  16. field — farmland
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bank — for money
  21. file — a document
  22. can — to be able to
  23. field — a subject
  24. tube — the underground

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