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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 120 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. scale — in music
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. mark — a grade
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. shower — to wash
  11. bat — the animal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. shower — rain
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — a weight
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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