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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wind · lie · shower · rush · track · bank · face · safe

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. track — a song
  3. rush — hurry
  4. shower — to wash
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wind — moving air
  7. track — to keep track
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. shower — rain
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bank — for money
  12. track — a path
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. face — to confront
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — part of the head
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bank — for money
  24. wind — to turn a key

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