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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. key — in music
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bank — for money
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. key — the most important part
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. file — a tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. file — a document
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. track — a path
  23. file — a line of people
  24. vault — a safe

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