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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. shower — rain
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. file — a document
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stand — to bear
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. file — a tool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. file — a line of people
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. calf — a young animal

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