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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · tube · mark · branch · suit · shower

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mark — a trace
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. toast — bread
  7. shower — rain
  8. tube — a container
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. suit — in cards
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. tube — the underground
  17. shower — to wash
  18. mark — a grade

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