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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
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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: mug · rush · shower · bank · court · swing · present · bay

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. present — there
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. court — for sport
  5. present — a gift
  6. swing — music
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. shower — rain
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. mug — to rob
  13. court — of law
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. bank — for money
  16. shower — to wash
  17. present — the time now
  18. court — of a king
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bank — of a river
  22. swing — to play on
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bank — for money

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