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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. firm — a company
  3. bank — for money
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. firm — steady
  7. bank — for money
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. stem — to come from
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. firm — decided
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. mark — a grade
  16. charge — electricity
  17. mark — a trace
  18. charge — in control
  19. shower — rain
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bank — of a river
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. charge — a price

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