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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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. object — to protest
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cue — a hint
  6. shower — to wash
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cue — for pool
  9. file — a tool
  10. object — an aim
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — for money
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. file — a document
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. object — a thing
  18. cue — a signal
  19. file — a line of people
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bank — for money
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bank — of a river

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