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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: mine · mouse · plane · shower · capital · foot · present · bank

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  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. bank — for money
  3. present — the time now
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. present — there
  9. shower — to wash
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bank — for money
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. capital — money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. present — a gift
  17. capital — a city
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mine — for digging
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. mine — belonging to me
  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