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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. drill — a practice
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. lean — thin
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. drill — the tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. roll — a list
  14. shower — to wash
  15. drill — army training
  16. lean — to bend
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bank — of a river
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. roll — a cake
  24. shower — rain

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