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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
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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: rush · root · content · bear · court · branch · shower · bay

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — to wash
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bear — the animal
  8. content — happy
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. root — of a word
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. court — of a king
  20. root — of a plant
  21. branch — a division
  22. content — the amount
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. root — the cause

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