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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: content · stand · bank · mug · rule · bat · mate · shower

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. mug — a face
  3. bat — the animal
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bank — of a river
  9. rule — a law
  10. content — the amount
  11. rule — government
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bank — for money
  16. content — happy
  17. shower — to wash
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bank — for money
  23. shower — rain
  24. mug — to rob

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