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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 116 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: branch · suit · mark · rock · stand · racket · shower · wake

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. shower — rain
  3. mark — a grade
  4. branch — a division
  5. stand — to bear
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wake — a trail
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. suit — clothes
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. mark — a trace
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. shower — to wash
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rock — to move gently

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