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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 120 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. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. chip — for betting
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. spell — magic
  6. bear — the animal
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. branch — a division
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. shower — to wash
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. spell — letters
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. chip — to eat
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. spell — a short time
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. fine — all right
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. hide — to keep secret

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