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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 116 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: bark · mine · mouse · fine · suit · shower · present · object

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. fine — all right
  6. bark — to shout
  7. shower — rain
  8. present — the time now
  9. object — to protest
  10. suit — in cards
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. suit — clothes
  14. shower — to wash
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. present — there
  21. fine — high quality
  22. present — a gift
  23. object — a thing
  24. suit — to fit

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