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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.

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 · file · rock · squash · bear · game · club · bank

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. file — a document
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bank — for money
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. shower — to wash
  11. file — a line of people
  12. game — wild animals
  13. file — a tool
  14. bank — of a river
  15. rock — music
  16. shower — rain
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. club — for dancing
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. club — a group
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. game — a match
  23. club — for golf
  24. squash — the sport

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