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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. 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. bear — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bank — for money
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cell — in biology
  12. rest — a break
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bank — of a river
  15. cell — a phone
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. 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