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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: leaves · tube · bank · mark · shower · rest · wave · key

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. tube — the underground
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. tube — a container
  7. key — for a lock
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. shower — rain
  11. bank — for money
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — a trace
  15. shower — to wash
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rest — a break
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bank — for money
  22. key — in music
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. key — the most important part

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