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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.

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 · fall · bowl · coach · ball · tube · bank · bear

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. tube — a container
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fall — to drop
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bank — for money
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. fall — the season
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. coach — a trainer

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