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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 120 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: stick · bank · cue · file · safe · foot · shower · object

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bank — for money
  4. foot — a measure
  5. object — a thing
  6. cue — for pool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bank — of a river
  13. shower — rain
  14. object — to protest
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. file — a tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. file — a document
  22. object — an aim
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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