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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bank — of a river
  4. spring — of water
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bank — for money
  10. spring — the season
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bank — for money
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. chest — of your body
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chest — a box

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