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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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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: bank · rock · mouse · nail · cue · face · ground · shower

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bank — for money
  4. face — to confront
  5. rock — music
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. shower — to wash
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. shower — rain
  12. face — part of the head
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rock — a stone
  16. ground — crushed
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. ground — a position
  19. bank — of a river
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bank — for money
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cue — a hint

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