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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: bowl · shower · firm · key · branch · rock · race · hide

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. branch — a division
  5. key — in music
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. rock — a stone
  8. firm — a company
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. race — the arms race
  12. key — the most important part
  13. race — a contest
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. shower — to wash
  17. key — for a lock
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rock — music
  20. race — humankind
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. firm — decided
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. firm — steady

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