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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fall — to drop
  5. net — for catching
  6. fall — the season
  7. present — the time now
  8. pound — a weight
  9. present — a gift
  10. bank — for money
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. dip — to sink
  14. shower — to wash
  15. present — there
  16. bank — for money
  17. shower — rain
  18. net — in sport
  19. net — after costs
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. dip — to dunk

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