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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
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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: leaves · arm · deal · file · wake · shower · can · bowl

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. file — a line of people
  13. shower — to wash
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a tool
  16. shower — rain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. can — to be able to

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