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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: stand · fine · mine · bound · bowl · dip · fork · shower

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bound — obliged
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bound — tied together
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. fine — all right
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bound — certain
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. fork — in a road
  24. bowl — a dish

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