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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  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. bound — obliged
  2. rash — hasty
  3. prune — to trim
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bank — for money
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. shower — rain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rash — a series
  15. bound — certain
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. ball — a dance
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. prune — the fruit
  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