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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: shower · lean · object · fine · net · chair · jam · trunk

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. shower — rain
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fine — all right
  6. lean — to bend
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. object — an aim
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. shower — to wash
  13. net — for catching
  14. lean — thin
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. net — in sport
  19. chair — a leader
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. net — after costs
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. object — to protest
  24. fine — high quality

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