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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: content · pitcher · leaves · shower · safe · snap · rock · bank

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bank — for money
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. snap — to click
  13. bank — for money
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rock — music
  18. shower — to wash
  19. content — happy
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. content — the amount
  24. shower — rain

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