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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: swing · mark · leaves · firm · wake · bank · shower · safe

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. firm — decided
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bank — for money
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. firm — steady
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bank — of a river
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. firm — a company
  11. swing — to play on
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — a trace
  16. swing — music
  17. shower — rain
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. shower — to wash
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. swing — in golf
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mark — a grade
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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