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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: shower · content · fan · nail · present · rock · bear · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. present — the time now
  3. shower — to wash
  4. rock — a stone
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. shower — rain
  15. content — happy
  16. present — a gift
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. content — the amount
  19. rock — music
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. present — there
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. content — videos and posts

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