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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.

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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: face · bay · leaves · content · suit · degree · bank · shower

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. face — to confront
  5. degree — from a university
  6. bank — of a river
  7. shower — to wash
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. shower — rain
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — in cards
  12. face — to point toward
  13. suit — to fit
  14. content — the amount
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. face — part of the head
  22. content — happy
  23. degree — an amount
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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