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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 116 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. track — a song
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a dance
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bank — for money
  12. shower — to wash
  13. face — to confront
  14. track — a path
  15. bank — of a river
  16. track — to keep track
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. face — part of the head
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. saw — the tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. saw — the tool

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